


The White Lady and the Black Knight

by Milarqui



Category: Sword Art Online (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Funny, Gen, Inspired by Progressive, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-20
Updated: 2019-08-22
Packaged: 2020-07-09 03:55:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 29,620
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19881214
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Milarqui/pseuds/Milarqui
Summary: Young Kazuto Kirigaya has been a fan of videogames and computers for years, and the arrival of Sword Art Online is almost a dream come true: a virtual reality game where you can experiment everything as if it were real? So, he manages to get into the beta, and from there buy the retail game.On his first day, he meets two people: a happy-go-lucky man called Klein, and a mysterious girl wearing a cloak and armed with a rapier. But then, Akihiko Kayaba, the creator of Sword Art Online, reveals what it actually is: a Death Game, where the only way out is to reach the top floor and kill the Final Boss. Now, nearly 20,000 people must fight their way to the top in order to earn their freedom - and, meanwhile, Kazuto must find the shooting star he has been seeking for his entire life.





	1. Chapter 1

**First Arc: That One Game  
1.1. Minus One**

_August 22nd 2022 – Beta Day One_  
_Kawagoe, Kirigaya Residence_  
I had been a long term enthusiast of videogames, computers and programming. By the time I was six, I could use the computer in our home as best as my mother. At age eight, I could modify the computer so it could run better. When I was ten, I learned programming and got into hacking.  
  
That was when I found out something about me.  
  
For some reason that I barely remember, I had wanted to check on my birth certificate, and I knew that the best place to check was in the government's database, so I got into them – and found the truth.  
  
I was not born Kazuto Kirigaya. My mother and father were actually my aunt and uncle. My little sister, Suguha, was actually my little cousin. My real parents had died in a car accident when I was one, and my aunt and uncle had adopted me.  
  
I... admit I may not have reacted in the most rational possible way, but ten-year-old children are not exactly noted for their ability to make rational decisions after learning things like that.  
  
So, there I was, ten year old, suddenly learning that most of my life was a lie. I mean, I knew they loved me, and I loved them, but... I felt like a stranger in my own house. As if I could not fit in the little family unit that was the Kirigayas. For a moment, I had thought of running away, but I had realized it was not going to work. So I just retreated into my own world of polygons, codes and artificial intelligences.  
  
Once, I was close to Suguha. We did everything together, from playing to practicing kendo under the control of our strict grandfather. But as I drifted away from her, we slowly had less things in common, we spent less time together. When I was twelve, I told our grandfather that I did not want to continue practicing kendo, he nearly beat me up – until Sugu told him that she would practice enough for the two of us. As of right now, she is one of the best under-18 kendokas in Japan, having already reached the quarterfinals in the national tournament and expected to reach even further this year.  
  
I don't think I have ever thanked her enough for being willing to take on that load from me.  
  
In the meantime, though, I took my sword to the virtual realm. Even though I was in my early teens, I was allowed to play games that, normally, would have been barred to me. World of Warcraft was just the first. I was always on the edge of technology, wanting to try the newest thing and exploiting it until I was as good as one could be in the game.  
  
That was when I learned that something big was going to come this way: complete immersion. There had been films, books, all sorts of media wanting to explore this idea, where the user could essentially turn off the real world and explore an artificial world, made of ones and zeros, where nothing actually existed but the brain would interpret the signals as something as good as real life.  
  
But now, it was real: a man named Akihiko Kayaba had announced the creation of a device called NerveGear. This device was capable of using low-intensity microwave radiation to communicate with the human brain, making it believe it was actually engaged in whatever activity it was doing. The user would be able to move, touch, act in the virtual reality as if he were in real life, but, unlike augmented reality, the user would remain in place, safe.  
  
The feature many feared was that the NerveGear pretty much prevented the user from being able to react to any outside stimulus. However, multiple tests had proven that the device was safe and could be deactivated by the user at any moment, and its sudden disconnection would have no negative consequences beyond small disorientation that would soon vanish. There were issues with people that suffered problems with the devices, as they could manifest an inability to use one of their senses in the virtual simulation, the so-called FullDive Non-Conformity, but this was a minor issue that only affected their ability to use the device.  
  
I immediately began to save my money. I actually cancelled all the accounts I had in pay-to-play games. I did extra jobs. I repaired computers and helped fix software. All so I could get a NerveGear. Because Kayaba had announced that the first big project for the NerveGear, after the technical demos and assorted programs, was going to be the first Virtual Reality Massive Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game in history.  
  
A game called Sword Art Online. A game with a fantastic setting where players would not have magic, only their ability to wield weapons with the aid of special abilities called 'sword skills', accompanied by an almost infinite number of different skills. Players would have the target of reaching the top floor of a hundred-floor tall castle in the sky called Aincrad, facing all kinds of monsters, fulfilling quests and, of course, having to defeat multiple bosses on the way. This, Kayaba assured, would be something that could probably take years to carry out, which many were skeptical about, but with every element Kayaba revealed, skepticism gave way to interest and enthusiasm.  
  
I was very lucky. I was one of the first people to get the NerveGear, after a struggle to ensure I was in. I tested every demo and element Kayaba and others made public. I helped find bugs and problems in many of them. Then, when Sword Art Online, or SAO as it had become known in the nerdsphere, went into beta phase, I did not even have to apply for it – I was straight out sent an invitation by Kayaba himself, who believed this to be an apt reward for all the help I had provided in the development of the device.  
  
I mean, wow. Attracting the attention of the genius behind the device I had been testing? I really doubt that would happen to anyone.  
  
So, today, August 22nd 2022, after returning from school, I grab the NerveGear, prepare myself and activate the game.  
  
“Link Start!”  
  
Immediately, the device turns on, and I feel myself going numb as it my mind and the device begin to communicate directly with each other. I close my eyes, and the sight of my bedroom's ceiling is replaced with a white expanse, with coloured 'rain' falling on me as the game loads. Then, the marks that my senses are correctly connected. And soon, it changes to what I have been waiting for.

 **WELCOME TO**  
**SWORD ART ONLINE**  
**BETA TEST**

I smile (or, rather, make the effort to do it, since I cannot actually smile) and the title screen disappears, replaced with a different screen. 

_Welcome to the SWORD ART ONLINE Beta Test_  
_We thank you for your help in making this game_  
 _a better experience for all players_

After that (and grateful that I have already done the user service agreements), comes the first step in the game.

_Please, choose your avatar's appearance_

I had already decided I did not want to make too much effort in this part: after all, every MMORPG has features that allow players to change their avatars at any point in the game – at a cost, of course, but nothing that is unsurmountable. So, I just give him some normal features: long black hair, a somewhat handsome face that looks a bit older than me, just about my height, dark blue shirt and black pants (I have always liked to wear dark clothes, something Suguha liked to tease me about). With that done, I press the 'OK' button, and prepare myself.  
  
_Aincrad, Floor One, Town of Beginnings_  
When I open my eyes, I am no longer in my bedroom. I am now standing in the middle of a huge square. A fountain stands in the middle of it, just a few metres to my left. The square is surrounded by light brown columns that sustain an arcade, which produces a shadow covering people from the sun that shines above us. The floor under me is made of irregular stones joined with concrete. This place feels like... I think it is like the Vatican, while the black palace at the other side of the square looks like one of those churches in Istanbul.  
  
I can feel the wind blowing on my face, making my hair fly.  
  
I can hear the tree leaves rustling as the air whips them around.  
  
I can smell the faint touches of flowers and food being prepared in the distance.  
  
As I move my hands and I see that I am wearing a pair of fingerless gloves, I can actually notice the air resistance. And, as I start to walk towards the gate that leads outside of the Town of Beginnings, it is as if I were walking outside.  
  
My God, Kayaba is a _genius_. This world does not look real, it _is_ real. My walk turns into a run, and as I avoid NPCs and a few other beta testers, I laugh and whoop through the gate and outside, into the West Field. Already in the distance, I can see several boars that I guess must be the first game mobs – weak and easy to fight for anyone.  
  
From what I had learned by reading the reports on the game and interviews with Kayaba, the special abilities in this game require to carry out certain motions in order to activate them – a system that is certainly more intuitive than others like clicking buttons or pressing key combinations. As I need to learn how to use them, I open the 'Help' menu – another interesting motion – and seek the information I want.  
  
“ _Sword Skills” are the main special ability accessible to players in **Sword Art Online** for combat. Sword Skills, in spite of the name, are available for all the weapons in the game, from one-handed swords to double-headed axes, with each kind of weapon giving access to a different Sword Skills Tree. In order to learn Sword Skills, you must first use a weapon at least one time, which will allow you to acquire the Weapon Skill corresponding to said weapon at level 0. This will also give you access to the first Sword Skill for that weapon. Every 50 skill levels, and until you reach the cap at level 1000, you will be able to add a new Sword Skill to your repertoire from the Sword Skill Tree._  
  
_In order to use a Sword Skill, you must first perform the appropiate preparation motion, or “Pre-Motion”, corresponding to the Sword Skill. When the system recognizes the Pre-Motion, your weapon will begin to glow in a colour specific to said Sword Skill, and then you can allow the system to take over and automatically complete the skill, which will finish the motion at a speed that is normally near impossible for a player to achieve, causing much more damage to the enemy than using the weapon normally._  
  
_After a skill is completed, though, you must consider two problems._  
  
_The first is the post-technique stiffening or “Post-Motion”. During a few seconds after the use of the Sword Skill, the system will maintain you rigid, simulating the need to recover your breath after the use of the Sword Skill, which will make you vulnerable to any counter-attack. The higher the level of the Sword Skill used, the longer the “Post-Motion” will be – so make sure to be careful when using the Sword Skill!_  
  
_The second is the cooldown period, or “Cooling”. After using a Sword Skill, there will be a period of time during which said Sword Skill will be unavailable, representing the need to re-center yourself after this, which you will be able to see at the bottom of your view. This, however, does not prevent you from using any other Sword Skills you can access._  
  
Checking in my inventory, I see that I have already a few objects: a Leather Armor, a One-Handed Short Sword, five Minor Healing Potions and 2,500 Cor, which is apparently the coin used in the game. I immediately equip the armor and the sword, place the potions in the quick-access belt and give the sword a test swing.  
  
_You have gained [One-Handed Sword] Weapon Skill (0/1000)._  
_You have gained [Horizontal], [One-Handed Sword]'s initial Sword Skill._  
  
Wow, I only needed a swing to get my first skill? The help was being literal, indeed. As the boars graze in the prairie, I read the motions required to activate [Horizontal]: holding the sword pointing to the back while looking at the enemy. The post-motion lasts less than a second, while the cooling lasts five – not bad for a first skill, and I am sure those numbers will decrease with time. And, since I am here, why don't I test it?  
  
I begin to walk to the closest boar, trying not to draw their aggro, but somehow they do not even react to my presence; they just keep munching on the grass. I suppose that these mobs – 'Frenzy Boars', the system informs me – must be passive until attacked. The best for a starter mob, since it allows players to observe them and attack when ready, without fear of being attacked in turn.  
  
I choose one boar that is looking away from me and begin to run towards it, starting the pre-motion for [Horizontal]. As indicated, the sword begins to shine as energy is released into it: the moment I consider I am close enough, I yell and let the system carry out the movement. The slash of the sword cuts through the Frenzy Boar, which immediately disintegrates in a shower of polygons. A small window appears in front of me, stating that I have earned 24 XP and 30 Cor. Like most RPG games, the monsters must have small invisible pockets to carry these coins around.  
  
OK, I have won against my first enemy. Since there are so many boars around, I might as well continue.  
  
When I attack the second boar, though, this one does not immediately drop dead: instead, when it recovers from the shock, it grumbles and charges against me. I must have struck a weak point with the first boar. Nonetheless, the moment the boar gets close enough, I dodge and swing at its head, giving it a mortal injury and rewarding me with more experience and Cor. Knowing this much, I begin to go after the other animals.  
  
It takes ten boars to decide it is enough right now. Apart from the experience and the money, I have also managed to get Boar Meat and a pair of Frenzy Tusks: according to the 'Help' menu, the former can be turned into food by cooking it, while the latter can be used as materials for a weapon. However, for the moment I am not going to need either, so I decide to sell them to an NPC shopkeeper. Maybe I will get myself another sword with the money I earn from the sell.  
  
_August 28th 2022 – Beta Day Seven_  
_Aincrad, Floor Two, Urbus_  
Urbus, the capital of the second floor, is markedly different from the Town of Beginnings. While, on the outside, the theme seems to be the American Far West, the city itself has an European feel to it: houses with small windows, walls made of stone and brick, painted over with colors, ground paved with bricks. It makes for an interesting contrast.  
  
The second floor became available to use players two days ago, after a raid I participated in killed the first floor boss. Unfortunately, I did not get the Last Attack Bonus – the special item given to the player that gives the killing strike – but, from what I have heard, it is a very good one. I tell myself that I will get it when the full version happens.  
  
Now, though, as I walk through Urbis' streets and stretch, I have a different objective in mind: I am in search of another player, someone called Argo.  
  
Argo is a special player who has chosen a different means to advance through the game. Instead of joining the throngs of players who fight in the front, they have become an information broker, someone who buys and sells information. In real life, such a person would have a hard time to live on just that. Here in Aincrad, where any tidbit of information can lead to finding a juicy quest or getting a great item? A very valued job.  
  
With that information in mind, and having heard about a quest that gave access to a very powerful weapon, I asked Argo about a meeting. The broker had readily agreed to meet with me, choosing a street and hour. And now, I am in that street, it is that hour, but there is no one in sight.  
  
“Argo?” I call out loud, trying to see if I can find them.  
  
“Hi there,” a voice replies from above me. I look up to the sight of a girl hanging upside down from a window sill, a feline smile on her face in spite of her awkward position. When she notices that she has caught my attention, she drops and flips in the air, landing on her feet while brandishing the victory sign with her right hand.  
  
My first impression of Argo is that she is, well, cute. Not my type, but even I could recognize that she is the kind of girl that catches other boys' attentions – if her real face looks like this one, of course. Curly golden-brown hair, brown eyes, a roguish smile – and a set of whisker-like marks over her cheeks. It is as if she does her best to look _kawaii_.  
  
“You must be Kirito, right? Argo the Rat, at your service!” the girl exclaims, giving an exaggerated bow.  
  
“The Rat? Looking at you and how you move, I would say that it is more like 'The Cat',” I reply.  
  
“Maaaaybe,” she states, grinning, “but rats are a lot more sneaky and can get away from enemies much easier. So, now, Kii-bou, what kind of information do you need?”  
  
“Kii-bou? You will find that I am older than you, I think,” I protest good-naturedly.  
  
“Naah. Kii-bou is a lot funnier, so you are going to have to accept it!”  
  
I roll my eyes.  
  
“Right. I've heard there is a quest that rewards you with a sword that has eight enhancement slots, somewhere in the first floor. Do you know anything about it?”  
  
“Indeed I do, and I like being straight to the point. That will be 1,500 Cor.”  
  
A good price for this kind of information, I think. I have earned at least four times that in just the last two days, so there is no problem with what she asks. Opening the menu, I seek the inventory and retrieve the requested money, handing the bag to Argo.  
  
“I think that should be enough to cover what you asked for.”  
  
“Just like that? No haggling? I think you and I are going to be very good friends, indeed,” she replies as she stores the money in her own inventory. “You have paid, now here is the information. There is a two-story building in Horunka where a woman lives with her daughter. You have to go there, knock on the door, accept her offer for water, and ask her if she needs help. She will send you to find a flower of some kind from the forest so she can make medicine for her daughter: when you return, she gives you her husband's old sword. That's the reward you want.”  
  
“You have very good sources. A fetch quest, then? Should be fun.” I open my menu and send her a Friend request, which she happily accepts. “I'll write you to confirm that I have found the sword, if that is alright?”  
  
“Pfft. As long as you finish the quest, I _know_ that you will find the weapon. If you find something you think I don't know, though, send me a message and we can negotiate a price. Or, you know, if you want to talk about something.”  
  
“I'll keep that in mind, Argo,” I chuckle. “If you find something you think I might be interested in, or you want to work with me on anything, tell me and we can discuss it.”  
  
“That's cool for me, Kii-bou. I find anything, you'll be sure to know about it. Now, I'll let you go for that blade, I have other clients to deal with. Sa!”  
  
Argo pulls out a coin and begins to play with it as she vanishes into a side street, while I make my way to the teleporter in Urbis' main square. As I arrive to the place, though, I have a doubt about something, and I send her a message.  
  
_Argo,_  
  
_What's the deal with the whisker marks?_  
  
_Kirito_  
  
The answer comes fast.  
  
_Kii-bou,_  
  
_That info costs 100,000 Cor. Care to match the prize?_  
  
_Argo_  
  
Either it is very important, or she really does not want to say anything.  
  
Nevermind, maybe I will get her to spill the beans about it in the future.  
  
Let's get that sword.  
  
_September 8th 2022 – Beta Day Nineteen_  
_Aincrad, Floor Seven, Floor Boss Room_  
When Sarch the Iron Bear, the Seventh Floor Boss, explodes into its component polygons, the raid group cheers. I open my inventory and observe the Last Attack Bonus, a leather armor that I put on immediately: I will enhance it later, of course, but it should be enough for the next floor.  
  
“The last to the teleporter is a slime!” one of the other players – Coper, I think he's named – shouts, and soon the entire group runs for the door that leads to Floor Eight. The struggle is fierce, with much running, pushing and tripping, but as we finally reach the floor's main town – Helvia, as informed by a sign at the entrance – I finally leave everyone behind and activate the teleporter without stopping.  
  
“HA! Who's the slime now?” I ask.  
  
“Not you, Kirito. How the hell did you go so fast?” Coper asks.  
  
“Quick Greaves. Got them on Floor Six. They give you some protection, and a good boost to your agility.”  
  
“Ugh, you always get the good stuff,” another partner complains.  
  
“Come on, let's explore this place before the others come!” Coper says, and we all spread out, checking the local shops for potentially interesting objects or NPCs for new quests.  
  
This floor is a marked contrast when compared with the previous one. Floor Seven's main town is built around a Monster Arena, a place where players can fight special monsters and earn money depending on how many people watch the fight and the attraction they catch. Floor Eight, instead, appears to be entirely covered in a humongous forest, only broken by large rivers that can only be crossed by using suspended paths. Frieven, the main settlement, is actually built on one large tree, and everything within fits the theme: tree houses and shops on branches, for example.  
  
I decide to enjoy the town for a few hours before I log out or set out to do some fighting. However, my plans are curtailed when, while looking at the weapon selection in a shop, I feel someone trying to sneak behind my back. I roll my eyes.  
  
“That hasn't worked since Floor Three, Argo, and you should know better than to try and jump on my back,” I state, turning around to see Aincrad's best information broker, who promptly sticks her tongue out.  
  
“Aww, Kii-bou, you are no fun,” she protests, grinning so I know it is not serious.  
  
“Hey, you are welcome to try. I do not think you would like crashing against the shopfront or end up flying away. On second thought, try it: it will be interesting to see if you are actually a cat or not.”  
  
Argo snorts.  
  
“Sooooo... have you found anything interesting so far?”  
  
“I might have. Something to do with the food here. 1200 Cor would do the trick.”  
  
“I am sure someone else would give it to me for a thousand.”  
  
“I am sure no one else would give you as good information as I can give you.”  
  
“You drive a hard bargain. Hard, but fair. There you are!” She pulls out the bag with the requested money, and I immediately save it on my inventory.  
  
“There's a shop called Large Bonsai that sells, among other things, special pastries. The second most expensive, the Dream of an Oak at 3000 Cor, gives you bonuses to climbing and finding objects in the trees for six hours.”  
  
“Seriously?”  
  
“Seriously. I am actually running with that bonus right now.”  
  
The change in her face expression is both hilarious and terrifying. One moment, she's having that easy smile of hers; the next, her jaw drops, and before I can react to that, she's jumping on my face.  
  
“THENWHATAREYOUDOINGHEREYOUIDIOTGOOUTTHEREANDGETALLTHEOBJECTSANDTELLMEEVERYTHINGABOUTITGOGOGOGOGOGOGOGO!” she exclaims as she pulls from my shirt and somehow drags me away from where I am to the outskirts of Frieven before I can even try to react to both her and the Harassment messages that keep springing in front of my face.  
  
“I am... go...” I manage to say – just as I find myself alone right out of Frieven, no information broker in sight and about twenty messages asking if I want to report the harassment I have just received. I sigh as I cancel all the reports and begin to climb the nearest tree in search of whatever objects that can be gained here.  
  
I make a note to invite Argo to a tea shop so she can take a calming tea or something like that, because hell that was _scary_. Much like any other girl in the world, I guess. Suguha, my little sister, is really charming – most of the time. But, if she is given a reason, she can be like a full-blown horror movie, special effects and all, by herself.  
  
Since I am here right now, I might as well find what I can get from the trees nearby. Who knows, maybe I will get an interesting object.  
  
_September 18th 2022 – Beta Day Twenty-Nine_  
_Aincrad, Floor Nine, Floor Boss Room_  
Today, I have managed to do what no one else thought was possible.  
  
I have finally soloed the Ninth Floor Boss.  
  
Yes, it has taken me a lot of effort. I have started this fight about eight times. Twice I have died, five times I have had to run away. But, finally, thanks to trial and error and the use of very good objects, I have finally put an end to Aris and Sira, the Twin Toads.  
  
And, as of today, I am officially the player that has reached the furthest in this beta test.  
  
Pity that it is going to end tomorrow. Still, that does not mean I cannot enjoy this to the fullest. Maybe I could make a try at soloing the Tenth Floor Dungeon?  
  
_September 20th 2022 – Beta Day Thirty_  
_Aincrad, Floor Ten, Floor Labyrinth_  
It is as I am clearing up one of the corridors leading to the Tenth Floor Boss that the monsters in front of me disappear, and are replaced with a young girl, a girl that has white eyes and hair and dresses in black so intense it actually emits no light.  
  
“Here concludes the Sword Art Online Beta Test. Argus thanks you for your help and support during this month, and hopes you have enjoyed these thirty days. You may pre-order the game using the special code that will be sent to your e-mail account within the next few hours. You may disconnect now, or wait for ten seconds if you desire to see the special way out.”  
  
Special way out? Huh, I wonder what that is. I wait the ten seconds, and the girl nods.  
  
“Very well. You have chosen the special way out. Goodbye, and hopefully we will see you back soon.” The girl then moves her hand to her back, pulls out a gigantic scythe that is about two to three times bigger than her and swipes at me, reducing all my points to zero and automatically disconnecting me from the game.  
  
_Kawagoe, Kirigaya Residence_  
I open my eyes, looking up to the same ceiling that has welcomed me back from Aincrad this past month, and smile. I really cannot wait until the game comes out for real, and I decide to check on my e-mail account: the promised code has just arrived, so I rush to the shop and exchange the code and the cash to buy it.  
  
It is going to be forty-three long days before I finally get to go back to Aincrad.


	2. First Arc, That One Game: 1.2. Day One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The game begins! Kazuto Kirigaya becomes Kirito and meets two people that will be very important in his future - particularly after an ominous announcement changes everything...

**First Arc: That One Game  
1.2. Day One**

_November 2nd 2022 - Aincrad Day One Kawagoe, Kirigaya Residence_

“I'm going to kendo practice, Onii-chan! I'll see you later!” I hear Sugu say as she leaves. With our mother (my aunt) being still at work, and our father still in Europe, I am left completely alone at home.

Just in time. In a few minutes, Sword Art Online will begin officially. I have been waiting for this moment for a month and a half, and take it calmly. I put on the NerveGear helmet, lay on my bed, still listening to the news about Argus having sold already a hundred thousand copies of SAO all over Japan in one morning, and expecting to sell even more in the coming days. Some people wonder about Akihiko Kayaba, who has yet to make an appearance today, but they expect that he will give an interview or publish a statement later today.

That is to be considered for later. Now... now I am going to enjoy my first day in post-beta Aincrad. When the clock marks 13:00, I close my eyes and give the order.

“Link Start!”

The next is a series of images I have become quite familiar with. First, the white expanse, followed by the rain of colors, the signs that tests have been done correctly... and then the first step.

_**SWORD ART ONLINE** _

Wonderful. Three wonderful words I have been waiting to see for more than a month

_Do you want to load_  
_the data corresponding to_  
_**Kirito**?_  
_[Yes] [No]_

Dumb question. The answer is 'yes', obviously, so I go for that button, and a few moments later, the screen begins to show a number of buildings I am very familiar with.

_Aincrad, Floor One, Town of Beginnings_

The main square in the Town of Beginnings. Just like it was the first day I entered Aincrad, back in August. The same wind, the same rustling, the same trees. But yet different, because this is a different day. Checking my menu, I note with some pity that I am back to normal: I have lost all the skills I had worked so hard to gain, and my inventory only contains the sword, armor, potions and money for beginners. Well, there is a difference, I actually have twice the initial money, which I guess is the thanks for being a beta tester, but that's it.

Who cares, though? It did not matter when the beta test began with me just carrying a few coins and potions, a short sword and leather armor. Knowing what I know now, I will be able to do better!

I begin to explore the city streets, running around while averting NPCs and players. It does seem to be far more populated than it was during the beta, but I guess it is obvious: the beta only had a thousand players, but Argus, in preparation of this game, has built ten servers, each for up to twenty thousand players, and plans are being made to prepare more servers as more players join in. I am not sure of which server is this one, but I would bet that it will be close to full capacity.

As I run, I note that all the shops are in the same place as they were during the beta. I do see a few differences, though: some of the town streets now have signs that point to different landmarks, the shops have decorations that make their purpose more obvious, some of the inns have open zones for drinking outside... but, apart from that, it is essentially the same.

It is as I turn down one alley that I hear someone calling after me.

“Hey, pal! You, the one in blue!”

I slow down to a walk before fully stopping and turn to see someone running after me: a guy with long purple hair somewhat kept together with a bandanna and slightly taller than me. When he stops next to me, he slides slightly on the ground but manages to keep himself upright, and puts his hands over his knees as he puffs up.

“Thanks... for stopping.” After a deep breath, the guy rises and looks at me. “I wanted to ask something, and you look like someone with experience in the game. You must be a beta tester, right?”

“Yeah, I was one of them. Is there a problem?”

“No, no. Well, yes. I... OK, it feels awkward to ask this, but... could you teach me how to fight?”

“Huh...” OK, new guy with no idea of how to do things. How do I handle this? “I'm not sure. I mean, the tutorial explains things quite well...”

“Yes, but the thing is, I am not the best at following instructions from a written guide, I have always done better with an actual teacher instead of a book. Please, man, I'm begging you!”

“Wow, calm down,” I reply, raising my hands, palms to the front, in answer to his joined ones. “I'm not sure of how good I can be, but I suppose I can always give you a few pointers.”

“Awesome! Thanks, pal! Name's Klein, and I want to be a samurai!”

I chuckle. This guy, Klein, seems like a nice one. Enthusiast. He looks like the kind of guy you want in your guild, encouraging everyone when the mood is flagging.

“Nice to meet you, Klein, I'm Kirito. About the samurai thing, there's no classes in SAO, but I suppose nothing can stop you from acting the role. And I believe you are going to need some different equipment if you want to do that.”

“Thank you, Kirito. What do you think?”

“The One-Handed Short Sword every player gets is good enough for beginners, but that limits you a bit. If you want to become a samurai, you will need to get the [Katana] skill, and to get that you have to train [One-Handed Curved Sword]. So, the first step should be a blacksmith, to buy another weapon.”

Klein barely needs instructions in how to work out the intrincacies of the shopping and bartering system, as he is a veteran MMORPG player and it is very similar to others. His sword has yet to be used, so it sells for a relatively good price, enough that he can afford a basic One-Handed Curved Sword.

“You don't want to buy anything?” Klein asks as he tries his new weapon. 

“No, this one will serve me well until I get the weapon I want. It's a quest reward, so I plan to spend my money on something else.”

“Smart.”

“Now, since you have your weapon, I think you are ready for the next step. Fighting mobs. And we have several of them out there.”

“Beginner mobs for a beginner. I am ready, Sensei!”

I roll my eyes as the two of us leave town and go to the West Field, where I can already see several boars frolicking around, just as they were during the beta, without a care for the rest of the world – or the many players that are going to come at them soon.

“Now, these mobs are Frenzy Boars, and they are initially passive, so they won't attack you unless you do the same.”

“Good. Here comes Klein!” he says, charging at the closest boar and slashing twice with his sword – only to be thrown back a moment later by said boar, that now grumbles, ready to strike back. Klein grumbles, standing up. “Ouch, right in the groin.”

“You _can't_ seriously be feeling any pain, there is a dampener that automatically blocks it,” I say.

“Yeah, it's just the principle of the thing. Anyway, I hit the boar and I think it didn't even notice it.”

“Oh, he did. The problem is that just slashing does not do a lot of damage, particularly since we are at level 1.” The boar charges: Klein manages to step out of the way and hit the boar again, but the thing is still alive. “Right now, what you need is to use Sword Skills. Did you check your initial Sword Skill?”

“Uh, yes. It's called [Reaver]. Says something about lowering my stance and then raising the sword, but I was not sure of what that means.”

The boar comes back for more, but this time I slash it before it can reach Klein, transferring aggro to me and giving Klein time to get ready.

“When you want to use a Sword Skill, you can't just shout the name, mostly because it makes you sound dumb, but also because there are situations where you need to keep a silent profile,” I say as I step to avoid another boar charge. “Kayaba programmed the Sword Skills so they are activated by standing in a certain way. If you can feel the energy charging your weapon, you have done it correctly. Then, when the moment is right, you release control to the system and it does the attack for you, although you have to point it the right way. [Reaver], for example, you bend your knees just enough and put your sword just above your shoulder.”

I demonstrate the position, even if it does not work for me, and Klein nods.

“Oh, now I get it. Mind if I give it a try?”

“By all means.”

I see Klein lean slightly forward and follow my instructions: as soon as his sword is over his shoulder, it begins to shine orange, and I nod. When the boar returns, Klein runs forward and releases his control to the system, slashing and thrusting forwards while jumping – right through the Frenzy Boar, which dies a moment later in a shower of polygons.

“Uff, man, what a rush! I see it has a cooldown, though.”

“It happens with all the sword skills, but fortunately for the initial ones you only have to wait for about five seconds before being able to reuse it. Just be careful with the post-motion freeze, because if an enemy catches you at that point, you are toast.”

“I'll keep that in mind. Thank you, Kirito. You could be a good teacher.”

“I'm... not much of a people's person. That's why I usually solo in games like this. I would join with a group for boss raids, but mostly I am on my own.”

“Then, when my friends and I form our guild, you are more than welcome to join us when we go against a boss. You up to it?”

“Sure, why not?”

“Great! Now, what do you say to helping me fight a few more of these? Just in case I have any other doubts.”

“I was planning to grind as well, so no problem, although I think you already have it down pat.”

“You never know, Kirito-sensei, I'm sure I'll forget something before the end of the day.”

I roll my eyes again, but decide to follow him in fighting the mobs, earning some money, some experience and a few objects in the process.

Until I become interrupted.

“Er, excuse me?” a gentle voice asks, standing behind me.

As I turn, I see a girl wearing a red-hooded cape over her head and shoulders, hiding everything above her mouth. What I can see of her is quite attractive at first sight, but I know better than to pay much attention to that. I know that, even with all the warnings Argus has issued about the problems that using avatars of the opposite sex can cause – there were mentions of testers starting to suffer of body dysphoria for using such avatars for long periods of time – there are going to be several G.I.R.L.s running around SAO. And, even if this player is actually a girl, for all I know she actually has different features than those shown in game – the same as I have done.

Common courtesy, though, is to reply to the player, no matter their appearance.

“Yes? Do you have a problem?”

“Yes. I... saw you teaching that player over there how to fight, and I was wondering if you could show me as well,” she asks, a bit shyly, as her mouth turns to an awkward smile.

“I don't see why not,” I reply.

“Thank you. The problem is... I don't know anything about actually playing in these kind of games.”

“You mean... this is your first MMORPG?” A complete newbie to gaming, jumping straight into SAO? Either she is really confident that she can handle this, or she is really brave about expanding her horizons. I am leaning towards the latter option.

“My first computer game, actually. I have played some games before on my smartphone, but nothing like this. This is actually supposed to be my brother's game, but...”

“Wait,” I interrupt her, raising my free hand.

“What's the matter?”

“I know you are new to this, so there is no problem. Thing is, in this kind of games, mentioning real life to other players is usually considered a bit rude, unless you are friends with them.”

“Oh, sorry, I didn't know,” she replies, clearly embarrassed by her faux-pas. I shake my hand.

“Don't worry. You are a beginner, so I won't hold it against you, and you did not say much,” I state, making sure to show there is no problem. “Now, what do you want to learn about?”

For all answer, she unsheathes her weapon from her waist and shows it to me.

“An Iron Rapier, huh? That's usually the weapon of someone with an agility build.”

“I don't know much about that. It was just the weapon I felt most comfortable with.”

“That's always important. Trying to use a weapon you dislike can be dangerous. Have you ever used one of these before?”

“I thought I should not mention real life here?”

She has taken the first lesson at heart. I grin, and I see her answer with a pretty smile of her own.

“Very well, I will assume you do, and either way you will get used to it soon enough. Now, rapiers are quite different from normal swords. While they also have a blade, they damage mostly by piercing the enemy with its thin point. The swords you see in fencing tournaments are based mostly on this, and they are different from the ones used by knights or samurai.”

“I can see that.”

“Have you used it already?”

“I gave it a few swings after I bought it, and I got the [Rapier] skill then, but I haven't tried to use it against a monster.”

“Good. That gives you access to your first Sword Skill, [Linear].” I begin to run her through the same tutorial I gave Klein, who is still enthusiastically reaving his way through every boar he encounters. Then, when she asks about what she gets from the mobs she kills, I explain her about looting, experience points and the point allocation system. As I speak, she actually reminds me of what I was doing during the first RPG I played, so many years ago, using the Internet to find out how this or that thing worked.

“I think I have the basics. Thank you very much,” she replies, bowing her head.

“It was my pleasure to help you. Now, do you want to test that new knowledge on one of the boars that graze yonder?” I ask, showing her.

For all answer, she gives off another ghost smile, skips forward and –

– my God, this girl is a _natural_.

Four years ago, I saw a shooting star from my bedroom window. Somewhere like the country, places that are properly dark at night, it might be a bit more common. But Kawagoe, my hometown, is not like that: there, if you had good eyesight, you can only see the brightest stars at night. One midwinter night, though, I was looking up, and by pure chance I caught a glimpse of momentary brilliance crossing the sky, and in my innocence I decided to make a wish. Of course, being in the middle of grinding in my favorite MMORPG, I chose to waste the wish in the dumbest thing imaginable: I wished for a rare drop. I never got it, of course, but the memory remained.

Now, I see another shooting star. But this time, it is through the full-sensory immersive VR interface known as NerveGear, and it is far closer yet as fast as that shooting star from four years ago. The fencer goes against a boar, activates a Linear and instantly kills the virtual beast with one stab of her steely (iron, actually, but who cares?) rapier, leaving an after-impression of red from her cape and white from the other clothes. I had seen other players use Linear before – but never with such efficiency and speed.

“Hey, Kirito, what are you – man, who's that?” Klein asks, noticing the fencer as she skewers a second boar, not killing it at first but doing so with a rapid stab as soon as her post-motion freeze ends.

“Someone who also needed some help,” I reply. Klein laughs.

“That's a second successful pupil! Perhaps you should really open a school to teach us noobs how to play.”

“This one just needed a few pointers on the game mechanics. The rest is all hers.”

“Amazing.”

“How did it go for you?”

“I'm getting close to level 2, and I also got a bunch of meat and tusks. And, talking about meat, it's almost five thirty, I should log out. I ordered a pizza and it should be about to arrive.”

“Well prepared,” I reply. “Enjoy your dinner!”

“See you soon!” Klein answers as he begins the motions to log out, but then he puts a strange face. “Weird.”

“What?”

“Where did the log out button go?”

Those seven words somehow fill me with absolute dread. Having used the NerveGear as long as I have, I know that there are only two ways to disconnect: either logging out with the internal menus, or by having someone else take the NerveGear off for you. No log out button means no direct way out.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean that I can't find the log out button.”

I open up the menu.

“Well, it should be right...”

Damn. I know this menu by rote. I know where each and every button is. I think I could even work with it with my eyes closed.

And I know that the log out button should be at the bottom of the list in the 'general' part of the menu. Instead, it has been replaced by a blank button. I really do not like this.

“Is there something wrong?” the fencer asks, having approached us while we were busy with the mysterious disappearance of the log out button.

“There's some kind of glitch, the log out button is missing,” I tell her, before turning to Klein. “Have you called a GM? Maybe they'll be able to solve this problem.”

“GM?” she asks.

“Game Master, they are the contact players have to the game developers to report problems,” I explain, and she nods.

“They are not answering. Man, I am going to miss my teriyaki pizza,” Klein complains.

I am about to say something, but then the bells of the Town begin to ring.

“It's half past five, why are...” the fencer asks, but suddenly Klein disappears in a flash of light, soon followed by her – and then me.

An instant later, I am in the Town of Beginnings' square, surrounded by hundreds – thousands – of players. The system has obviously done a forced teleportation on all of us, but, for what purpose?

“What do you think is going on, Kirito?” Klein – who has been teleported near me – asks.

“Dunno. Maybe the GMs want to explain this bug?”

Just then, the sky, which was still blue with hints of dusk, suddenly turns completely red, and not a natural red color, but more of a blood-like red. I am starting to think that I am really not going to like whatever is happening, when a small INCOMING MESSAGE sign appears on the sky, followed by a giant cloaked figure.

“GREETINGS, PLAYERS, AND WELCOME TO MY WORLD.” That means... “MY NAME IS KAYABA AKIHIKO, AND I AM THE CREATOR OF SWORD ART ONLINE.”

The square is completely silent, as everyone looks above at the main developer of the game we are in, and my feelings of dread only increase.

“SOME OF YOU MAY HAVE NOTICED ALREADY THAT THE BUTTON TO LOG OUT DOES NOT EXIST. YOU MAY BELIEVE THAT IT IS A BUG, BUT IT IS NOT: IT IS A FEATURE. I REPEAT, THE LOG OUT BUTTON MISSING IS A FEATURE OF THE FULL VERSION OF SWORD ART ONLINE FOR THIS SERVER.”

“What the...” Klein mutters, as everyone realizes what's wrong.

“THAT MEANS YOU CANNOT LOG OUT OF THE GAME BY YOURSELVES. AND NO ONE CAN SHUT DOWN OR REMOVE THE NERVEGEAR FOR YOU – AS THEY HAVE BEEN MODIFIED SO, IF SUCH A THING IS ATTEMPTED, THE NERVEGEAR'S TRANSMITTER WILL UNLEASH MICROWAVE RADIATION SO INTENSE THAT WILL DESTROY YOUR BRAIN, REGRETTABLY KILLING YOU IN THE PROCESS.”

Yup, dread feelings proven right. That's the kind of right I dislike. Kayaba moves a hand, and the images of several newspaper webpages float around him. I distinguish pages from Japan, the United States, Germany and a few others, all of them with the same purpose: inform people about Sword Art Online and us being trapped within.

“AS YOU CAN SEE, MULTIPLE NEWS ORGANIZATIONS AROUND THE WORLD HAVE ALREADY REPORTED ON THIS INCIDENT. THE AUTHORITIES ARE CURRENTLY IN THE PROCESS OF LOCATING ALL THE PLAYERS IN THIS SERVER IN ORDER TO RETRIEVE THEM TO DIFFERENT HOSPITALS, FOR WHICH THEY WILL HAVE A PERIOD OF GRACE OF THIRTY MINUTES IN CASE THERE ARE PROBLEMS WITH THE CONNECTION, BUT REMOVAL OF THE NERVEGEAR WILL BE IMPOSSIBLE WITHOUT TRIGGERING THE DEATH CONDITION. UNFORTUNATELY, THE RELATIVES OF SEVERAL PLAYERS DID NOT WAIT OR IGNORED THIS WARNING: TWO HUNDRED AND ELEVEN PLAYERS HAVE, THUS, LOST THEIR LIFE BOTH IN AINCRAD AND IN THE REAL WORLD.”

“Murderer!” someone shouts at him in the middle of the deathly silence that has settled over the players, as the horror of what Kayaba is saying begins to be understood. Kayaba does not seem to react to this exclamation.

“ONE WARNING I MUST GIVE YOU: THERE IS NO WAY TO REVIVE PLAYERS WITHIN THE GAME. SHOULD YOUR HITPOINTS DROP TO ZERO, YOUR AVATAR WILL DIE, AND YOUR REAL BODY WILL FOLLOW.”

Fuck. Fuck. _Fuck._ I remember dying at least five times during the beta. And that was when the game was, by design, relatively easier. I do not know how many times the players died to reach and beat each boss in the beta. What is going to happen now?

“THERE IS ONLY ONE WAY FOR YOU PLAYERS TO ESCAPE AINCRAD: YOU MUST CLEAR THIS GAME.” Kayaba shows a three-dimensional mockup of Aincrad, a number of disc of decreasing size one over the other, with the lowest disk illuminated in blue, while the highest shines red. “YOU ARE CURRENTLY AT THE LOWEST FLOOR OF AINCRAD, FLOOR ONE. IN ORDER TO PROCEED TO THE NEXT FLOOR, YOU MUST FIND THE BOSS OF EACH FLOOR WITHIN THE CORRESPONDING LABYRINTH AND DEFEAT THEM. BY DEFEATING THE FINAL BOSS, WHICH WILL BE IN THE RUBY PALACE ON FLOOR ONE HUNDRED, YOU WILL CLEAR THIS GAME, AND ALL LIVING PLAYERS WILL AUTOMATICALLY LOG OUT.”

“Son of a bitch,” another player mutters, and I can tell that people are getting angry.

“BEFORE YOU SET OUT INTO THIS WORLD, I HAVE ADDED AN ITEM TO ALL OF YOUR INVENTORIES. THINK OF IT AS A PRESENT FROM ME FOR YOU.”

A rapid search in my inventory reveals there is only one new object: a [Hand Mirror].

“What the hell is this?” I ask, pulling the object out of my inventory and looking at myself in it. Yes, exactly the same way my avatar looked when I began the game, I do not see what this has to do with -

The mirror shines with a brilliant blue light, which spreads to me somehow, and a second later, when the light vanishes, the face looking back at me in the mirror is not the same one I started with.

It is my real face.

“Kirito!” I hear Klein shout, and I turn towards him, but what I see is another avatar, a red-haired guy who...

… who is wearing the same armor and the same bandanna on his hair as Klein.

“Klein? Is that you?” I ask, surprised.

“Yes! Holy- I mean, what the hell happened? How does Kayaba know our faces?” the red-haired man asks back.

“The NerveGear,” I reply with dread. “The NerveGear covers your entire head in a high-intensity signalling device that allows it to scan your face when you use it.”

“And our bodies? Oh, yes, the calibration at the beginning,” Klein points out. “It gets you to pat down your body, and suddenly it knows even the size of your toes.”

“But... why do this?”

“RIGHT ABOUT NOW, I AM SURE MANY OF YOU ARE WONDERING THE SAME THING: WHY WOULD KAYABA AKIHIKO, THE DEVELOPER OF NERVEGEAR AND SWORD ART ONLINE, DO THIS? THE ANSWER IS SIMPLE: I CREATED A WORLD IN WHICH I COULD INTERVENE, AND I CREATED THE MEANS WITH WHICH TO ENSURE NO ONE COULD INTERFERE IN SUCH A WORLD. MY OBJECTIVE IS, THUS COMPLETED.”

“BASTARD!”

“MURDERER!”

“LET US LEAVE NOW!”

“AS OF TODAY, NOVEMBER THE SECOND OF THE YEAR TWO THOUSAND AND TWENTY TWO, AT TWENTY-FIVE TO SIX PM, THERE ARE EXACTLY NINETEEN THOUSAND, SEVEN HUNDRED AND EIGHTY-NINE PLAYERS IN THIS SERVER. UNDERSTAND THE MEANING OF THIS. HERE ENDS THE OFFICIAL TUTORIAL OF SWORD ART ONLINE. PLAYERS, I WISH YOU THE BEST OF LUCK.”

Amid the screams of the players, Kayaba's avatar slowly vanishes into smoke, and the sky suddenly returns to its previous colors, blue with a hint of dusk, but the mood here in the ground is drastically different from what it was a few minutes ago. Seeing this, I decide to grab Klein and drag him to a nearby alley.

“Listen, Klein, I am going to Horunka. The moment everyone realizes this is it, everything around this city is going to be swarming with players, and the resources we can earn are going to be somewhat limited. Reaching Horunka's going to be our best bet to improve.”

“I... I can't leave yet. My friends are probably all around here – they must be there in the square. I can't leave them!”

“OK.” It felt a bit bad, but I could understand: he had joined this game to be with his friends, and now he felt responsible for them, in some way. “Listen, remember what I have taught you? Teach it to them, to anyone that needs the help. The more strong players we have here, the better the chances we will have of surviving this... this death game. If you work together, you can become a good group.”

“What will you do then, Kirito?”

“Me? I am going to become strong enough to beat this game. I am going to help as many people as possible reach the end of the game. And I am going to prove to that traitor up there that he has messed up with the wrong people.”

“That's something I can get behind,” Klein replies, as he waves his hands around, and suddenly I receive a message.

_Klein wishes to be added to your friend list.  
Accept?  
[Yes] [No]_

“If you ever find yourself in need of a friendly ear, or need help, or whatever, send me a message, alright?” Klein says. “I'll do my best to aid you, the same way you aided me.”

“Anything for a fellow player.” I press the [Yes] button, accepting Klein as a friend. “Given what's going on, we are going to need each and every one of us if we want to survive.”

“We should try to make that a rule. No matter what, keep everyone's points above zero.”

“I wish we could do that.” I shake my head. No matter whether Kayaba was right or not, I am sure that there will be players who will decide to screw with other, either because they do not believe Kayaba or because their only way to relate to others is by disturbing others. Robbery, trolling, griefing, and, worst of all, player killing: what may have been an irritation in any other game, was now, literally, a matter of life or death. “I hope to see you again soon, Klein.”

“You will, Kirito.” He offers me his hand and I shake it. “Take care!”

“Same to you.”

Klein salutes and turns around, in search of his friends. I turn the other way and begin to run.

I think of the red-hooded girl I showed how to fight just half an hour ago. She is new to this, but she is a natural. I did not see her anywhere in the square, before or after Kayaba's message, and now I do not know how she looks like.

I did not even think of asking her name.

It would have been nice to know.

I know I will see her in the future. I _will_ see her soon. She is strong.

I will have to be strong, too.

I leave the town, picking up my pace along the road to Horunka.

I won't let Kayaba win.

I find a Dire Wolf on the road, and it growls at me.

This will not be my tomb.

I wield my sword, and prepare to launch into [Horizontal].

I am going to beat this game.

I release the energy – and destroy the wolf.

I am going to _survive_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, that's chapter 1.2 in, and the first changes begin to spring about! I assume all of you have noticed what said changes are...
> 
> Hope you liked it, and sooner or later you will be able to read chapter 1.3. The First Month.


	3. First Arc, That One Game: 1.3. The First Month

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A month has passed since the beginning of the Death Game, and Kirito is training, helping others train and trying to find the first boss. But he is also seeking the one person he has yet to find anything about: the fencer lady that surprised him so much during the first day...

**First Arc: That One Game  
** **1.3. The First Month**

_December 2nd 2022 – Aincrad Day Thirty-One_

_Aincrad, Floor One, Entrance to the Labyrinth_

A Death Game.

Books, movies, manga... the theme has appeared through culture and history. Put a number of people into some kind of arena and tell them to fight each other until there is only one man (or woman) standing? The Romans had their gladiator games (even if most of the time they actually survived). _Classics_ have been made based on the idea. The motives behind the game, how it happens, what the 'players' can have hope of getting... all of that changes, but in the end it is pretty much the same.

Unfortunately, there is little to nothing similar to what we are going through: a _cooperative_ death game.

I do know several things about the current situation, though.

The first, is that, while one month was enough for us beta testers to reach the tenth floor, so far we have not even cleared the _first_ floor. Between the changes from beta to full version and the fact that everyone knows there is no respawning after death, few are daring enough to risk their lives.

The second is that, out of twenty-thousand players this death game began with, nearly a ten percent have passed away. To be more exact, one thousand, eight hundred and fifty-seven, counting the ones whose NerveGear was taken away during Day One, have died.

The proof of this is the so-called Monument of Life in the Town of Beginnings. Back during the beta, it was called the Monument of Swords, celebrating who had defeated each floor boss. The Monument of Life, instead, lists every player in the game – and when one player dies, their name becomes red and the cause and date of death are marked next to the name.

For the two hundred and eleven who had their NerveGear removed, it only indicates 'disconnection'.

Nearly fifteen hundred have died because they have been mauled by monsters. It does not indicate which monster or the circumstances, though: only that it has happened.

Finally, we have the third group, slightly above one hundred players, who have 'fallen over the edge' – suicide. People who believed that death would actually bring disconnection, that they would respawn or simply that had fallen into despair and chosen to take the fast way out.

Almost a ten percent of us dead in a month. Kayaba better be dead when we get out of here, because if he is not then I am sure there will be a queue as long as Honshu to stab him.

Back on Day One, my main worry had been to claim the Anneal Blade, the sword I found thanks to Argo during the Beta. I was very lucky that I managed to find the flower relatively soon, and I brought it to the quest giver just as Coper came up to begin the same quest. Knowing what I know of Coper, I was silently thankful that the old quest giver would initiate the quest once for every player, no matter how many times someone had already brought her a flower to heal her daughter.

It was the day after that, while I was having breakfast, that I changed tracks. I could not afford to be selfish with the information I had in my mind; no one could, actually, because this was no longer a competition. As I had told Klein before I left, we needed all players to be as strong as possible if we wanted to have a chance to survive. If anything I knew helped save at least one player to survive to the end of the game, then that information should be available to anyone.

Fortunately, Argo had been of the same mind as me. When I met her later, she was already in the middle of a frenzied writing campaign, sending messages to everyone she could find from the beta and putting her knowledge into a book. Through the guide, she expected every player, veteran or novice, to have access to vital information on surviving on Aincrad: quests, enemies, combat... everything was going to be available to everyone. I myself ended up writing the combat and the [One-Handed Sword] chapters of this guide.

The 'Aincrad Survival Guide' hit the shops on Day Four, and became available to everyone in the game for the low, low price of 0 Cor – a decision Argo had made, as, for all that she is a mercenary, she also knows that there are things more important than money. Through word of mouth and a few volunteers reading it aloud in the main inns and taverns in the Town of Beginnings, Tolbana and Horunka, soon everyone had a copy. The fact that Argo had promised that she would add more information as it came made her quite popular.

Apart from helping Argo and a few players who needed a small push in the right direction, these past four weeks I have been using all my knowledge of the floor to farm materials, experience and Cor. At level 11, I have three skill slots, which are currently occupied by [Battle Healing], [Searching] and [One-Handed Sword]. The latter is at 260, meaning I have six Sword Skills: [Horizontal], [Vertical], [Slant], [Rage Spike], [Sonic Leap] and [Vertical Arc].

I have also been keeping tabs on the players I know. Argo has been using her unnatural networking skills to find everyone from the beta test, which has been a mixed success. Klein has managed to find all of his friends in the game, and from the messages he has sent me I gather that he has formed an informal guild, working hard together for mutual benefit and helping other players stand on their feet.

There is only one failure in my explorations of Aincrad: I have not seen anything of the fencer lady. It is as if she has vanished in thin air. I could have asked Argo about it, but she has been crazy busy the few times I have seen her: asking her to find a certain person that I can only describe by her weapon and the clothes she wore on Day One seems doomed to failure. The only hope I have of finding her is by pure chance.

Today is Day Thirty-One of this death game, and when I wake up I find two messages from Argo.

The first message indicates that the unknown player that wants to buy my Anneal Blade has upped his offer to 25,000 Cor. This is something that has been going back and forth for several days, and every time I have told Argo that I am not going to sell, pointing the player to the quest. However, either they are as lazy as they come or they do not want to spend several hours killing Little Nepents until the one with the flower comes out. I give the same answer as every previous time and check the second message.

This one mentions a player called Diavel, who has issued a general call for a meeting of SAO's best players, to be held later today in Tolbana's amphitheatre. My guess is that Diavel and his partners have finally managed to find the entrance to the First Floor Boss' room, something that us players have been seeking like crazy for the past four weeks, since Kayaba decided that changing its place would be funny. I thank Argo for the warning and close the message tab.

After breakfast, I decide that I should go to the Labyrinth in order to grind a bit more. I am close to level 12 and that shiny, shiny fourth skill slot, so destroying kobolds it is.

However, my plans become interrupted when I reach the entrance to the Labyrinth and find someone already fighting several kobolds.

Someone I know well enough.

A shooting star.

The fencer had started this game as a complete novice in the art of playing videogames. Here and now, I see how far she has come in just thirty one days. She is running around the kobolds averting their weapons, kills them one by one with deadly precision and the perfect application of her Sword Skills. Eventually, there is only one kobold left, and with a mighty yell that would have made a Valkyrie proud, she skewers it, making it break down into polygons – at the same time that her rapier breaks down as well. She groans at the loss, but simply brings out another Iron Rapier and advances into the Labyrinth, unmindful of what dangers may be within.

Realizing I have been standing at the gate like an idiot, I run after the fencer.

“Wait! Fencer-san, please, wait!” I yell, turning a corner – only to almost crash into the fencer, who has turned around to see who is coming behind her.

I find myself face to face with the most beautiful girl I have ever met.

Her hair, hidden under her red hood, is like a chestnut-colored cloud, floating around her face, with a lock falling over her face. In the relative darkness of the room, the color of her eyes is not easy to identify, but here and now it is like dark honey being poured on toast. Her face... her face could easily be that of an angel. Maybe she _is_ an angel, after all.

I also see other signs, though. Tiredness. Sadness. A sense of defeat. But also the unwillingness to surrender. Stubborness. And hidden strength.

I may be really bad at talking to other people, but that does not mean I am bad at reading them.

“Sensei?” she finally asks, recognizing me, confused and also a bit surprised.

“I... I have been looking for you since the first day. I did not know how you really looked like, but I looked. What happened to you?” I ask, worried. I can actually feel her breath on my face.

“I... spent two days closed up in an inn,” she confesses. “I was terrified of what Kayaba said, so I broke down and would not leave the room I had rented. Then I woke up and I realized that I would not – that I _could not_ stay passive in the face of the danger we all faced. So every day I have been picking up weapons, coming out of town to fight and wouldn't return until I was about to lose my last weapon.”

“Are you... are you trying to _kill_ yourself, fencer-san?”

While I admire her strength in deciding to act instead of remaining at home, I cannot help but worry about how she has been going on about it. She may have been grinding very well, but what if she had lost her swords, or ran out of potions, or found something that could actually surpass her?

“No. I am using what _you_ taught me, and what I learned from the guide, to prove to myself and to Kayaba that I am not going to die without a fight.” Her gaze acquires an intensity so powerful that I actually find myself falling into the depths of her eyes. Then she blinks, notices that I am about a palm away from her face and she steps back, blushing while I wake up from this sudden spell she has put on me. With her just away enough, I can make some judgement about her.

If I have to peg her, I'd say that she is about my age. She looks a bit on the thin side, but she probably exercised in real life. Given her physique and her talent, I would say that she might actually be a fencer – perhaps she is in her school team.

Man. This girl is actually magnificent. She is in a different category compared to other girls I have known.

I think I may be suddenly nursing a big crush on this girl I have only known for a few hours.

“Is there a problem? You have stayed silent for a while,” she points out, and I blush at getting caught up looking at her.

“No, no, no, no problem at all. I was just surprised. I did not see your face back on Day One and what you said was pretty cool and I was surprised. ” I shake my head, trying to shake off the cloud that has taken up residence within. “Sorry, I should have presented myself before. My name is Kirito.”

“I... am Asuna,” she replies.

“That's a pretty name,” I state without thinking, and I immediately think about palming my face while Asuna goes just a bit redder than she was a few moments ago.

“Do you... do you want to party with me? I – I mean, form a party with me, fight with – work with me here,” she states, cringing as she realizes what she has said could be understood in a different way. I decide to ignore it – seeing that I have had my own number of slip ups – and send her a party request she soon accepts.

“So. Are you looking for something specific? Or just grinding?” I ask her as I step next to her.

“Just grinding.”

“What's your level now?”

“Ten. Why?”

I look at her, astonished. She must have been grinding pretty much non-stop to have reached that level. I doubt more than a five percent of the players has managed to reach more than level _eight_.

“Are you _sure_ you have never played an RPG before?” I ask. She blushes again. “Look, I am not sure if you have heard of it, but there is going to be a meeting later today in Tolbana, and you are a powerful player. Would you like to come with me?”

“I... what is it about?”

“I have no idea, but I suspect someone found where the boss is hiding, so we need to organize a raid. Your help would be welcome.”

“Un. Sure. If I can help, I will. Shall we...” She nods to the inside of the labyrinth.

“Of course.”

The two of us walk inside, and bit by bit we annihilate all the kobolds we find. My initial impression of Asuna as a fighter becomes well-reinforced. She has learned fast, she strikes accurately and using just the force she needs and is agile enough that what little armor she wears does not even get scratched. She does, however, have a few weak points: her fighting style does not do well against large numbers of enemies, and those who have heavy armor hinder her strikes.

That's why I am there, of course: I may not be as quick as she is, but with my Anneal Blade, I can eliminate more enemy HP than her in about the same time, I bring down those kobolds that carry heavier armor and generally watch her back the same way she watches mine. We actually make a good team.

Sadly, her fighting style has another problem: it chews through her Iron Rapiers like an electric chainsaw through wood. She buys them in bulk, but their durability is so low that she goes through two of them in the first two hours we spend in the labyrinth.

“You need a better weapon, Asuna,” I tell while we take a breather in one of the labyrinth's safe zones. “You can't expect to get through the game by using the basic weapons, even if they are cheap.”

“What do you suggest? I did check all the shops, but from what I could see, there were not many weapons in them that I can use and that have the same quality-price relation.”

“During the beta, one mob in the labyrinth dropped a special rapier, one that should work for you until the fourth or fifth floor. I don't remember the exact stats, though.”

“Where in the labyrinth?”

“Hm... floor fifteen, east side, I think. Want to check it?”

For all answer, Asuna stands up and offers me her hand, which I take without hesitation as I stand up. I remain in place, ensnared by the feeling of her hand on mine, before we let go of each other and begin our walk through the labyrinth that looks so much like the typical dungeon it is almost a cliché: old rocks in the walls, darkness only halted by the occassional everburning torch, some patches of mold here and there... the usual.

“Here we are,” I tell her when we arrive to our destination. “Are you ready to pummel some more kobolds?”

“Ready to pummel some more kobolds,” she parrots, and both of us share a laugh as we face our next targets.

Three hours later, Asuna and I are leaving the labyrinth, and she is admiring her new weapon, which I got from killing one of the Kobold Sentinels that populate the section of the labyrinth we have raided.

“Wind Fleuret. It has six enhancement slots, a high Accuracy and causes more damage than the basic Iron Rapier. Looks beautiful and delicate, but is actually deadly. Like you.”

Damnit, mouth, communicate with brain before speaking up! Yes, she _is_ beautiful and deadly, but there's no need to voice it out loud! At least, she does seem to have taken it quite well, if the blush she is sporting right now means something.

“Well, we have some hours to do whatever we want. Anything you have in mind.”

Right on cue, her stomach gurgles, and Asuna winces at the feeling.

“I got an answer, loud and clear. I think we can eat something on the way back, and then, if you are still hungry, go to a tavern.” I grab a loaf of black bread from my inventory and the cream I got thanks to the [Cows' Counter Attack] quest, put some of the latter on the former and offer it to Asuna. “Here, this is for you.”

She gingerly takes it.

“I have tried it before. Not exactly the best thing I have tasted.”

“I know. However, that cream on the bread is special. Give it a try.”

She clearly doubts that a bit of cream can actually change things, but gives an experimental bite – and actually moans as she tastes it. I smile, and at the same time I am glad about the Ethics Code, because that moan of hers is _divine_ and, had this been real life, my automatic, involuntary reaction would have been quite obvious. The bread disappears seconds later into the fencer's mouth, and she turns to me.

“Thank you, Kirito-san. That was very tasty.”

“I'm glad you liked it.” I pull my own piece of bread with cream and savor the thing. “If you want, I can show you where I got it.”

“Maybe lat-” she tries to hold it, but she cannot avoid yawning, covering her mouth quickly with the hand that is not holding Wind Fleuret. “-er. I could use a nap.”

“So do I. Listen, it may sound weird, but the place I have rented has two beds, a bathroom, all the milk you can-”

Asuna promptly tackles me to the ground, landing on top of me while grabbing my shirt.

“You have a private bathroom?” she asks, amazed, her face just a few centimeters away from mine.

“Er, yes. It's actually quite nice, with a big bathtub and shower and all of that.”

“Please, please, please, let me use that bathroom,” she all but begs.

“I was about to invite you, so you are welcome to use it?” I ask, as my subconscious decides to inform me that being like this feels really nice. “Though, there's a price. You are to relax in there and not think ugly thoughts, alright?”

She raises an eyebrow before smiling and giggling, something that sounds really adorable as it comes out of her mouth. That's when she apparently notices our rather compromising position, as she jumps to a side and looks away.

“Shall we, then? You will feel a lot better after a bath and a nap, I think,” I reply, standing up and offering her my hand. She takes it, but this time she decides not to let my hand go as we begin to walk to Tolbana. On the way, her yawns start to become more common, and it comes to a point where she actually leans to put her head on my shoulder. Wordlessly, I move so I can hold her upright from the waist while trying to keep her awake, even if she looks so lovely as she half-sleepwalks next to me.

Finally, we arrive to the farm and we come inside. Saluting Kajima-san – the NPC that owns the farm – I help Asuna upstairs and sit her on a chair.

“Asuna,” I speak, gently shaking her so she will open her eyes. “We are here. Do you want to take a bath now, or later? We still have a few hours until the meeting.”

She finally graces me with her eyes – which I now notice are actually hazel, and just as lovely as I saw earlier – opening, and smiles.

“Thank you so much, Kirito-san. I will have that bath, if you do not mind. What will you do?” she inquires, stretching, while I keep my sight firmly on her face.

“I'll stay out here, make sure no one tries to peek in, and, if you want anything, just call me, OK? Oh, and you can get as much milk as you want when you get out. Just, you know, try not to fall asleep in there.”

Asuna proceeds to stand up and hug me, mumbling about how nice I am being to her before she enters the bathroom and closes the door behind her. I decide to serve myself a glass of milk and wait while reading up a book on lore I found a few days ago, expecting that maybe it will tell me something about potential quests.

Unfortunately, I realize a bit too late that this plan of mine has a very bad problem: the door between the main room and the bathroom is _not_ soundproof. As I try to concentrate on the words in the book and what they mean, my brain has decided to pay more attention to the sounds Asuna produces as she turns on the shower and lets the water cascade over her. Thus reminding me _every freaking second_ that I am spending here that there is a _beautiful naked amazon_ showering but a few metres away from where I am.

I have no proof of it right now, but I think the game is actually mocking me. I can even imagine what the game would be saying.

_Hey, remember how you are trying to be a gentleman for that girl you are having a crush on? Now I am setting up a situation so that everyone thinks you are a big fat pervert, nyahahahahaha!_

Back, back, back, that laugh in the end of my imaginary SAO-chan was way too similar to the one used by Argo, right? Erase that thought from mind, because, if this game acts like every manga or anime or any other piece of popular culture I have read or watched, that will...

_Knock, knock._

“Heeeeey, Kii-bou~! Are you in there? I've got some nice and fresh messages for you!”

… summon Argo. As if I needed more proof of my newest theory. I make a mental note on my thought of the day.

_Day 31: when I find Kayaba, I will kick his ass from the top of Aincrad to the Town of Beginnings. Floor by floor._

There is no way that was a coincidence. I groan as I stand up, return the book to my inventory and I open the door to, yes, a grinning Argo.

“Alright, Argo, spill. What is it that you couldn't tell me through a private message?”

“Awww, Kii-bou, one would think that you do not want to see your favorite onee-san,” she replies, pouting as she speaks.

“Don't pout. I am immune to that, and you already know it. Is there a problem?”

“No. There were things I wanted to tell you in person.” Her expression turns sad. “Remember how you asked me to check on the beta testers? I have made a census and there are exactly five hundred and seventeen testers still playing the game.”

“You mean, we have already lost more than three hundred of the testers? How did that happen?” I exclaim, bewildered. I know that this game began with 879 out of 1,000 beta testers joining the game, the rest either appearing in other servers or just not playing for whatever reason. The fact that three hundred and sixty of the game veterans have died in a month is a really bad sign.

“I checked the Monument of Life, and it turns out that twenty-two died on Day One's disconnection, fifty-seven jumped off the edge, and the rest were killed by monsters.”

“I can't believe this. Do you think any of them may have been MPKed?”

MPK stands for Monster-Player Killing, one of the most insidious ways to kill another player. It consists on aggroing a relatively powerful monster, and then guiding it to another player, getting them killed in the process. In other MMORPGs, it is usually a tool employed by griefers and Player-Killers, just to mess up with others. Here in Aincrad, though...

“I do not know, Kii-bou. Some of them may have been, but I do not have the means to learn it.”

“For... we asked everyone to keep everybody's HP over zero. Is that thing so hard to do? We need everyone to have a chance of surviving this game!”

“People are angry and desperate, Kii-bou – and angry and desperate people are more likely to do dumb things. Now, the second message. The mysterious buyer is still interested in buying that pretty grey sword of yours, and now offers 29,600 Cor.”

That is a lot of cash for the level we are in currently. My Anneal Blade +6 (3S3D) has a market price of about 25,000 Cor, so I would certainly benefit. However, I have many reasons not to part with it: I like the sword, I know it will serve me well until Floor Eight or more and I intend to recycle her so I can keep this sword in spirit to the end of the game – it does also make for better weaponry, in fact.

“C'mon, the quest is as easy as riding a bicycle. Can't the buyer go and get it himself?”

“Sorry, I can't particularly comment on my clients – unless, of course, you are willing to pony up the 1,200 Cor on his identity.”

Another of the reasons Argo is so successful as an information broker is how she can turn any piece of information into a valuable assett. During the beta, there were jokes that she would be willing to sell her grandmother if she believed it would benefit her. As is, while her services are always reliable, her discretion is not so much reliable as mercenary: the identity of her clients is about as valuable as what she finds in the floors. You can, of course, pay her off to keep silent, but if someone is willing to offer more, she will just begin a bidding war between both sides until one of them gives up and lets the other get away with their intention.

The only thing she is keeping silent about is the identities of all beta testers, and with good reason; ever since Kayaba's cursed message, she has known that other players will likely try to find someone to blame, and since Kayaba is not easy to access to, that leaves us testers as the next most likely target and potential scapegoat.

“Sorry, Argo, I don't want to know who they are, I just want them to drop it.”

“I shall say that, but don't be surprised when you get yet another offer. Finally, I have one question to make.” Her expression turns into a scary, cat-like grin, which makes me contemplate my chances at closing the door before she begins to speak or running away from her. “I have _very_ reliable sources that have indicated me that you have been seen in the close company of not just another player, but a _female_ player, that you two were very chummy with each other and that this mysterious lady player of yours may, or may not, be somewhere nearby. Given that this is a clearly out of character action coming from you, I knew I just _had_ to come here and personally check if those rumors were correct or not. Care to comment on that, Kii-bou? Hmm?”

That's it. My brain cannot take any more. As Argo's grin becomes predatory, I go completely blue-screen-of-death, and I stand in front of the door like an idiot with my jaw dropped. Damn Argo, damn her spies and damn her all-too-efficient information network.

“Kirito-san? I am done with the shower. Thanks for letting me use your bath!”

Aaaand of course, Asuna makes her appearance right on cue. As lovely as ever – and with the worst possible timing in history. I convey all my feelings about the sudden turn of my life into a cheap sitcom by presenting my right palm to my face, as Argo becomes less cat-like and more panther-like. Argo cracks up laughing, of course, and she barrels her way into the room as she claps.

“Rumors were true, after all! Kii-bou the lone wolf and a pretty lady alone in the same room!” At that point, I begin to find how Immortal the walls of this farm truly are by using my head as the testing tool (they are very Immortal, of course). “Hi! Argo, the best information broker in all of Aincrad and spy extraordinaire! What is your name?”

“I, er, I am Asuna?” she states, surprised by the sudden assault by someone she knows not.

“Asuna? Nice name, means 'strong willed', which I guess you must be to be good at this game. Or 'for tomorrow', depending on how you write it. So, mind if I call you A-chan? Of course you don't! Now, just sayin', A-chan, that boy over there is the nicest guy you'll ever see in all of Aincrad, and the best of the best of the game. You get the big prize indeed. That info is Argo-guaranteed and for free, by the way!”

I turn to look at Asuna from my vantage point next to the door, and I see that Asuna's expression is stuck at some point between bemusement at Argo's appearance, shock at Argo's brazenness and deep embarrassment at Argo's insinuations. She has blushed already several times in front of me, but right now her cheeks are acquiring this beautiful color like that of an apple, as her eyes jump between Argo and me, and damn if I don't want to go right there and k-

No, wait, wait, wait. I've just met her. I should not think these things. Even if I am starting to crush on her, she does not deserve being drooled on (yes, I have already done it, which is why I know I should not keep doing it). Plus, I am sure that, sooner or later, she will probably decide to pick her own path away from mine.

“I guess I'll be seeing you in the meeting, right? Because we could really use you. So, see you two later, and remember, don't do anything I wouldn't do! Byyyyye!” she singsongs as she leaves, closing the door with a shake of her hand.

“Er... that was...” Asuna begins to speak, still in the throes of Argo-induced embarrassment.

“Argo. A friend I made during the beta test. As she said, she's an information broker, and she supplements that with... well, you've just seen it.” I decide that this is the best moment to change topic of conversation. “So, did you have a nice shower?”

“Yes! The water isn't exactly the same as in real life, but it felt great to be able to just relax under the shower.”

I do my best to keep my mind blank. Conjuring certain images right now is not a good idea.

“I'm glad you enjoyed it. Now, do you still need to take a nap? You can pick your bed, I'll just take the other.”

“Yes. Thank you for everything, Kirito-san,” she replies, opening her menu. “When is the meeting, exactly?”

“At 4 PM.”

“I will set the alarm for half an hour before. That should be enough to get ready and go there.”

“More than enough – the amphitheatre is just five minutes away from here.”

As she sets the alarm for 3:30 PM, I wait patiently for her to choose her bed – they may look like straw, but they are surprisingly comfortable – but, before she does so, she walks up to me and gives me a small peck on the cheek.

While I look at her, completely dumbfounded, she immediately lies on the bed she has picked, looking away from me, and soon enough her breathing begins to slow, marking her falling asleep. I decide that I should follow her example, so I take the other bed, set an alarm for 3:40 PM (just in case something happens) and close my eyes, eager to get a bit of extra rest.

It is almost like immediately when I begin to hear the buzz of an alarm and I slowly wake up, attempting to dismiss the alarm and begin moving, but I fail. I have a weight over my chest and left arm, something is tickling my chin and I can hear mumbling around the same region where my heart is.

“You are so nice, Kirito-kun,” a sleepy female voice says, and I blearily open my eyes to the sight of a cloud of silky chestnut and copper hair spread over my torso, attached to a girl that is using me as a pillow. Hugging included. Looking at the other side of the room confirms that this is, indeed, Asuna, who, for some reason, has chosen to sleep on me instead of on her bed.

Once more, I confirm that the feeling of being held this way by Asuna feels quite nice.

Unfortunately, we do need to start moving. We still have about half an hour to the meeting, but it will be better if we arrive early. I gently move away the silky mane so I can reveal her face.

“Asuna, wake up. Time to get up.”

“Don't wanna. Comfy.” She actually digs in as she says so, settling further over my body as she gives out a little moan of contentment.

“I'm glad that you think I am a good pillow, but your alarm is ringing, and you are the only one who can turn it off.”

“Don't care. Wanna stay here.”

“My lady Asuna,” I decide that maybe it is time to pull out the big guns, “as nice as being here with you is, I fear I shall make use of drastic measures if you do not rise now.”

“Wha?”

I slowly slip my right hand down her body and to her side, until I find the point where I remember Suguha was particularly sensitive in and poke her.

Asuna shakes and gives out a snort.

“Ticklish?” I ask with a grin, and before she answers I begin to assault that same point with the tips of my fingers. Asuna twists around and begins to laugh, freeing my left hand and allowing me to do the same on her right side.

Asuna's laughter fills the room, even as she begs me to stop, but soon enough she decides to take her revenge by trying to do the same to me – which, sadly, is a successful tactic. By the time my alarm begins to ring out, we are somehow still on my bed, panting from laughter and the effort, but this time I am the one trapping her under my body, and once more our faces just a few centimeters from each other.

“Er...” Asuna squeaks out, her face slowly acquiring a lovely apple-like reddish tone over her cheeks as she finally notices our predicament.

“Stand up? Yes, stand up. We have to go to the meeting after all,” I reply quickly, immediately getting off the bed and allowing Asuna to stand up as well.

We busy ourselves a few minutes trying to turn off our respective alarms, equip all of our items, calm down from the improvised tickle war and, at least in my case, brushing off certain ideas brought on by what we have been doing.

Finally, we are done, and I look at Asuna.

“Will you come with me to the meeting, then?”

Asuna smiles and takes my hand.

“Yes.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaand there it is!
> 
> You will notice quite a few changes now, which I hope you like.
> 
> Initially, the meeting between Asuna and Kirito would have happened a lot like in Progressive, with her fainting and that, but another readerr's comments actually made me realize that there was a lot more potential to an encounter where Asuna is not as almost-suicidal as she is in canon, so that meant a complete change to everything going from there - in fact, I had already lined up Asuna getting the Wind Fleuret in 1.4, but with the changes that have happened, it fits better in here. This does make quite the change to their dynamic as a duo.
> 
> Also, the part where Asuna goes to sleep in one bed but wakes up next to (or, to be more exact, on top of) Kirito is important. Both cause and effect.
> 
> So, now, sit tight, re-read, comment - and wait until 1.4. First Floor Meeting to see what else happens!
> 
> For those who have been seeking, unsuccessfully, the shout out I mentioned as being in 1.2. was to Hotel California. There's another one in 1.1. to If The Emperor Had A Text-To-Speech Device, of all things. Unfortunately, I couldn't find a place to put one in this chapter.


	4. First Arc, That One Game: 1.4. Primus Inter Pares

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After finding Asuna - the fencer lady he met in Day One - and establishing a partnership with her, Kirito goes with her to a meeting where a matter of importance is to be discussed...

**First Arc: That One Game  
1.4. Primus Inter Pares**

_December 2nd 2022 – Aincrad Day Thirty-One  
Aincrad, Floor One, Tolbana's Amphitheatre_  
Hand in hand, we walk to the amphitheatre, built in the manner of the ancient Romans, where Diavel has called the meeting. Given my inexperience in the matter, I am not sure how this ranks in terms of interacting with girls, but I find myself liking it. The fact that it means I am standing next to the closest thing to a battlefield goddess that I have ever met only makes it better.  
  
I look to my right, at said battlefield goddess. Her red cloak is back on her shoulders, with the cowl up to cover her face, now looking quite similar to how she did in Day One. As she explained to me earlier, she wears it because it helps forestall most of the usual behavior from other guys who behave as if any girl they find on the Internet is the only one that exists in the virtual world. Obviously, it does not entirely work: one can easily tell from the distance that she is a girl, so every other player we pass close to ends up looking in our direction. Fortunately, none of them attempt to stop us.  
  
When we finally arrive at our destination, I note, at first glance, that there are about eighty people waiting already, speaking in groups as expectation grows over the matter behind the meeting. I see a few known faces among those present, but no one I usually speak to.  
  
“Where do you want to sit down? There's a lot of free space around us,” I ask Asuna.  
  
“There, on the left,” she points out. “There's a lot of space, we can sit wherever.”  
  
“As you wish,” I reply, and let her pick her choice seats, which offer us a nice view of the open-air building and everyone within. Looking around at all the players that have also answered the call, I note that most of them are currently carrying equipment of good quality, both armors and weapons. The one thing that is a bit surprising is how so many have already begun to make use of the game's main cosmetic features, like giving themselves anime-like haircuts or dying their hair in strange colors: for example, that one guy over there who has decided looking like a cactus actually looks good. They must have been doing a lot of work in order to afford the costs.  
  
“Do you know anyone here?” Asuna asks, leaning towards me.  
  
“Yes, I do. Some of them were beta testers, others I have crossed their path at one point or another during this past month. I can't tell who is exactly who, though.”  
  
“You are lucky that _I_ can do that,” Argo says. Asuna jumps at the surprise brought by her sudden appearance, but I just roll my eyes, used as I am to what I am sure must be some sort of [Teleportation] extra skill.  
  
“Hey again, Argo,” I tell the broker, who is now sitting on my left. “Have you found anything interesting in the past three hours?”  
  
“Not exactly. Not like I had a lot of time to work with. I have, however, received another message. Kii-bou, the offer for your sword has risen to 32,000 Cor. Take it?”  
  
“I said it when the offer was 10,000. I said it when it rose to 21,000, and I will say the same even if he offers me a hundred thousand Cor. The buyer should know by now that I am not going to budge on that.”  
  
“A-a-a-alright,” she replies, sending a rapid message to someone I infer is the player who wants my sword. “Business aside, now we can begin to talk about something more fun. Are there any juicy details that you are up to sharing with your friendly information broker about yourselves? Kii-bou? A-chan?”  
  
“Sorry, there is nothing to share. After you left, we took a nap in _different_ beds,” Asuna says, righteously. Such an answer does allow her to evade the part where, somehow, we ended waking up in the same bed – not that there is any need to reveal _that_ to Argo.  
  
“Oh? Pity. You two make such a nice, adorable couple. But, here's an open offer, A-chan. For a thousand Cor, I'll reveal to you how you can get naughty with Kii-bou here without triggering any harassment warning.”  
  
“ARGO!” Asuna and I shout simultaneously, and I feel my cheeks flushing redder like a semaphore as the rat-themed broker laughs. I groan and cover my face, because I just know everyone is looking in this direction, and for the love of every legendary weapon in Aincrad, what does Argo get out of teasing us like this?  
  
Quite fortunately in my opinion, any further disturbance of my peace becomes interrupted as someone clangs his sword and shield together from the amphitheater's scenario. I turn my eyes to the source, a young man with blue hair that is wearing bronze full-plate armor, with a longsword and a kite shield in his hands.  
  
“Hello, everyone! In the first place, thank you for coming! I am glad so many players have answered this call, because all of you will be needed if we want to leave this Death Game alive!”  
  
There is some scattered clapping among the present players, but for the most part people are just waiting to see what the player brought us here for.  
  
“Allow me to present myself. My name is Diavel, and even if we do not have classes in here, I consider myself a knight! Someone who fights for those who are weaker!”  
  
“Classes?” Asuna asks in a low voice.  
  
“It's like... a job, only that in other RPGs it gives you special abilities that others do not have. For example, other games would have knights, healers, wizards or thieves. However, here in SAO, the only means to differentiate between characters is the Skills they have.”  
  
She nods in undesrtanding, as Diavel continues his speech.  
  
“Two days ago, my party and I went into the First Floor Labyrinth, just an hour away from this town, and after reaching the top-most floor, we managed to find the door behind which the Floor Boss is hiding!”  
  
Totally called it. Other players do not seem to have been that savvy, though, for there are gasps and cheers.  
  
“Unfortunately, we were too few to actually attempt to get in and kill the boss, so I have come here to ask you something. Are you willing to take the first step to free everyone from this trap called Aincrad?”  
  
“YES!” several players shout.  
  
“One moment!” another player, precisely the one I saw earlier with the cactus-like hair, interrupts. “Diavel-san, before you continue, there's something I must say!”  
  
Looking at Diavel, he can be described as someone who knows he is going to regret letting someone do what they want, but that he will do it if only to get it out of the way.  
  
“What is it, Kibaou-san?” he asks, as Kibaou steps on the scenario and turns to us players.  
  
“There's a bunch of people here that should be begging for forgiveness on their knees, in front of everyone, here and now!”  
  
I am reminded of how Argo mentioned earlier today about 'angry and desperate people doing dumb things'. This guy here looks like such a case of someone doing something stupid.  
  
“I suppose that you are speaking of the beta testers,” Diavel states, clearly trying to control his frustration with his fellow player.  
  
“Of course I am talking about them! The first day, they went out and claimed the best grinding places and objects, and left us new players in the lurch! I know there are testers here, and I say that I won't be able to trust any of them until they come down here and cough up all their money and the objects they have found!”  
  
“What for?” someone else interrupts. Kibaou turns to the speaker, a girl with short black hair, glaring at her as if she had dared to do something terrible.  
  
“To-to give it to those of us who really need them!” Kibaou says, stuttering.  
  
“Sure, sure,” the girl replies, obviously not believing him. “And, in the hypothetical case a beta tester were to 'cough up all their money and objects' here and now, who would be deciding who needs them and who doesn't? You? Because I would not trust you with delivering a Cor to a beggar, much less what items have been found!”  
  
Kibaou's glare intensifies as his face reddens in anger, but then someone else – a giant of a man, with very dark skin and an axe to his back, who very clearly does not look like he is Japanese – stands up and pulls something out of his inventory.  
  
“Relax, Kibaou-san. There is no need to get altered over this matter,” the giant interjects with a firm but gentle voice, looking down at Kibaou from where he is.  
  
“Who are you?” Kibaou wonders out loud, apparently unsure of how to react.  
  
“My name is Agil. Much like you, and the majority of those players present here, I started playing SAO the past November, and I have fought my way to where I am right now. Now, if I understand correctly, you blame beta testers for the deaths that have taken place in the past month, and claim that they should pay reparations in the form of the coin and items they have gained legitimately, through their own efforts. Is that correct?”  
  
“Of course it is correct!”  
  
“I trust that you must have read this, right?” Agil fires back, showing the object he has picked from his inventory: _Aincrad's Survival Guide_.  
  
“Yes. So what?”  
  
“This guide came out early on Day Four, for free. It contains information on every basic strategy all players can use to survive in Aincrad, as well as the best places to improve their skills and earn money, as well as quests that will allow them to boost their experience without risking their lives. There are detailed descriptions of this floor's cities, as well as information on the second to fourth floors. All of this is information that would have been impossible to put together from scratch in just three days, particularly considering the chaos of Day One.” Most everyone nods, remembering how problematic that day had been. “This guide was put together by beta testers, providing all the information they could, in order to aid as many people as possible. I also know of many beta testers who have spent much time to teach other players how to fight and how to use the game features. Yet, even with their aid in hand, nearly two thousand people, among which there are surely multiple beta testers, have unfortunately died. So, please, if you desire to cast a stone, make sure you know who is the deserving target.”  
  
“Yeah!” the girl shouts. “If you wanna blame someone, blame the asshole that got us stuck in here!”  
  
The entire amphitheatre becomes full with discussions and arguments between the different players spring up, some criticizing the beta testers, others defending them, but mostly being unable to agree on the matter.  
  
“Ugh.” Argo sighs, leaning back on her seat. “I knew this was going to happen.”  
  
“So did I,” I reply, keeping an eye on the chaos. Division on this level is something we really cannot afford if we are to survive. I would understand some level of competition, but if we begin to fight each other then no one will live.  
  
“Could it be that big of a problem, Argo-san? I mean, I know you two have the advantage of having played the game before most, but you did work on the guide and helped a lot of players learn the ropes,” Asuna mentions.  
  
“Welcome to the human condition, A-chan,” Argo replies, a touch of sarcasm in her voice. “Many people, when they find themselves in great trouble, instead of seeking a way to solve their problem they will try to blame anyone, whoever is closest to the source of the trouble, independently of how much they have to do with it.”  
  
“Also, as much as I dislike admitting this, Kibaou there is somewhat right. While many beta testers have been helping other players by training them or providing information for the guide, many are also behaving exactly like he claims.”  
  
“Still, it is not fair that he puts all of you in the same bag. You... if it had not been for you, Kirito-san, I would probably have died already,” Asuna states, but the second half drops to a whisper.  
  
“No, you wouldn't have. Because I know you are strong, and I am sure you would still be here, ready to help us fight,” I whisper back at her, smiling, and she smiles back as I place my hand on hers.  
  
Finally, after several minutes of fruitlessly waiting for the discussion to stop on its own, Diavel clangs his sword and shield together again, silencing the crowd and bringing attention back to himself.  
  
“Please, everybody, calm down. These arguments do not take us anywhere useful. Agil-san, thank you for your information. Kibaou-san, I understand your concerns, but I do not think alienating a good part of the players will be useful. Let's work on the matter that brings us here.”  
  
“Illfang,” I whisper. Asuna looks at me, but says nothing.  
  
“According to the beta testers, this floor's boss is Illfang the Kobold Lord. Apart from looking like a tall, fat kobold, he has four HP bars, begins the fight armed with a heavy bone axe and a shield and is initially aided by three Ruin Kobold Sentinels, which respawn after each HP bar is depleted. When it is down to one HP bar left, Illfang drops his axe and pulls out a talwar, which means it will begin to use [One-Handed Curved Sword] skills: he has been seen using [Reaver], [Fell Crescent] and [Circle Slash], although it is likely he will know other such skills. I recommend you to check the guide for the pre-motions, so you will know when they come and how to avert them.”  
  
“I've got a question,” the girl that had heckled Kibaou earlier asks. “How can we be sure that the contents of the guide are completely accurate?”  
  
“Do you think any of the beta testers provided false information?” Diavel asks.  
  
The girl snorts.  
  
“Hardly, I don't see them beta testers messing up with something like that. They are going to come in there with us, and lying about it will not benefit them. Also, I am sure that if someone had tried that, the other testers would have corrected it. No, I just wanted to point out that I am sure that the guide is completely accurate – but only in comparison to what the players saw in the beta. That asshole Kayaba had weeks to make changes to all the floors the testers visited. How do we know that he hasn't done something to screw with us even more than he has done already?”  
  
“Your idea has merit...” Diavel pauses, seeing that he clearly does not know the girl's name.  
  
“You can call me Ringoshīdo,” she replies with a smile.  
  
“Your idea has merit, Ringoshīdo-san. In fact, I will admit that I had not considered the possibility, even though it should have been obvious. Thank you. Now, everyone, please begin to organize yourselves into parties. Should you have any suggestions to what Kayaba might have changed about Illfang, don't hesitate to share. Make good use of this afternoon for grinding, stock up on supplies, repair your weapons, and, above all, take a good night's rest. I'll meet you here again tomorrow at 10 AM. And, this time tomorrow, we will be on the Second Floor, and we'll show Kayaba he made a mistake in messing with us! Are you with me?”  
  
“YEAH!” many players shout, and the meeting breaks down, with groups of players going their own way to the shops or the outskirts of Tolbana.  
  
“Looks like everybody is going to join with their friends,” Asuna points out. “Do you mind if...”  
  
Before she is done asking, I have already sent her a party invite to her, already prepared to join forces with her once more. Asuna gives me a brilliant smile and accepts immediately.  
  
“What do you plan to do, Argo? Will you join us for the raid?” Asuna asks the information broker.  
  
“I might, but for the rest of the day, I think I am going to go out to see what other information I can find. I might actually go grind for a while. And if I join the raid tomorrow, then I would love to party with you two. But for the rest of today, I'll just leave you two lovebirds alone, because old Argo won't be crimping your style, no sir!”  
  
With a laugh, the cat-themed broker jumps off her seat and leaves, probably using her [Teleport] once again.  
  
“Is... she always like this?” Asuna asks, bemused and blushing. Why does she have to look so cute when she blushes? And when she doesn't?  
  
“Pretty much. I think she likes to take a rise out of anyone she wants to make business with because it allows her to get more out of negotiations. In my case, though, she just likes poking fun at me.”  
  
“Oh. Right.” Asuna stands up, her hand still holding mine, and she turns to look at me. “What should we do now? There's still several hours of daylight yet.”  
  
“More grinding? That way, you can train with Wind Fleuret, and I can put my new skill into practice.” I stand up, and we begin to make our way outside of town as well.  
  
“What have you chosen?”  
  
“[Blade Throwing]. Players usually have a secondary weapon prepared, and seeing that I am a melée fighter, having something for longer distances is not a bad idea.”  
  
“Good idea. I have [Rapier], [Acrobatics] and [Battle Healing]. What else do you suggest?”  
  
“Hmm... Given your build, I would say [Sprint]. It would boost your movement speed in combat, and make it easier to avert enemy attacks. Of course, with time you may need to learn [Parry] as well, or get some light metal armor, depending on the path you decide to take. And, if things have not changed too much when we arrive to the Third Floor, there should be an object that allows you to store a skill without losing your proficiency with it, so it technically gives you an extra Skill Slot.”  
  
“There is? I will really want to have one of those. You could use it for a skill you know you are only going to use when you are in a safe zone, for example. Like... cooking.”  
  
“Cooking?” Curious choice. Then again, there were few players that picked non-combat skills during the beta, since we only had a month, so no one knows everything that can be done with them.  
  
“Yes. It's a... hobby of mine. I'm really curious to see the difference between cooking here and cooking in real life.”  
  
“I honestly do not know. But, if it is like in any other game... it will involve choosing the ingredients, touching a pair of buttons, perhaps a minigame or two, and then the dish comes out. With a random chance that it will become ruined, no matter how good you are.”  
  
“Really? That's boring. I will have to test it and see if it can actually be good for anything.”  
  
“I'll be glad to act as your guinea pig, should you take such path, my Lady,” I reply, and she raises an eyebrow at me.  
  
“Let's grind some monsters,” she declares as we enter the labyrinth.  
  
 _Aincrad, First Floor Labyrinth, Thirteenth Floor_  
Two hours later, we are deep into the dungeon, and surrounded by kobolds, which we keep slicing and piercing through.  
  
“I am wondering something,” Asuna exclaims over the sounds of the monsters around us, as her [Linear] eliminates a kobold. “Where do monsters keep the money and the items they drop?”  
  
“That's one of the illogical elements role playing games have had since they were created, even before they became videogames,” I shout back as I manage to line up two kobolds and kill them with [Horizontal]. “Some games just avert it by making enemies drop things they would naturally be carrying and which you can then sell or turn into other items, while others simply state that the monsters are some sort of being that transforms into items after being killed. It's best not to think too much about it.”  
  
“I guess you are right. I mean, they are just blocks of pixels animated by a simple program that guides their movements following certain patterns that are based on factors such as their health, enemy proximity and available armaments. The fact that they would keep coins and items on themselves is simple, next to it.”  
  
I turn to look at her, surprised, after wiping out the last kobold on my side of the room. The way she speaks, I can tell that she is from a high-class family, and she probably has seen much. But hearing her speaking about the game with the right jargon is not something she has shown before. Then again, I have only known her for a few hours: there is obviously a lot more to her than I have seen before.  
  
“I was one of the best students at my school, you know. And the fact that I did not play computer videogames does not mean I do not understand how they actually work,” she interjects, her gaze defiant, as if I would say anything negative about her intelligence.  
  
“No complaints from me, my Lady. I actually think that such intelligence makes you more awesome.”  
  
“Just more awesome?” she asks with a daring tone.  
  
“Oh, more than just that. There is a monster to your back, by the way,” I tell her, pointing at one kobold that is trying to sneak behind her. Asuna turns and deploys [Oblique], her newest Sword Skill, obliterating the kobold in one stroke.  
  
“Finally! I am level 12!” she exclaims.  
  
“Very good. I think you may actually be the second most powerful player in the game,” I congratulate her.  
  
“Just the second?”  
  
“I am at a comfortable level 13, my Lady. I believe that means I am better than you, right now,” I tease her. Asuna looks around herself, sheathes her Wind Fleuret, and then plants herself right in front of me.  
  
“Maybe it is not so bad to be the second when you are the first... my Knight.”  
  
“Your Knight?”  
  
“Well, if I am to be your Lady, then I suppose you must be something of mine, too. And, since you are around saving girls like me and fighting for all of us players, then I'd say you would be my Knight.” She narrows her eyes, but her playful tone makes it clear she is having fun. “Or do you dare to reject such honor?”  
  
Seeing the trajectory this conversation is taking, I decide to go all the way with the idea she is presenting to me, starting with using the most archaic way to express myself and behaving like a fool.  
  
“Why would I do so? For it would be an honor, nay, a privilege, to be thy knight, for thou art fair, brave and of such illustrious mind. Thus, I foreswear any allegiance I may have to any other, and swear to be thy shield and thy sword until you release me from my vows,” I proudly proclaim, kneeling before her, my Anneal Blade with the tip touching the ground.  
  
Asuna looks at me as if I have gone mad, before cracking up. I laugh along with her, and soon we are holding each other up in the middle of the dungeon, laughing hard.  
  
“I cannot even begin to think of how you managed to sound so ridiculous and yet so much like an actual knight,” Asuna states as she recovers.  
  
“Internet solves nearly every doubt. Also, a few players in other games were quite a lot into roleplaying and spoke like that.”  
  
Asuna giggles again, and then gives me a kiss on my cheek.  
  
“A reward for you, my Knight.”  
  
“What have I done to deserve such reward, my Lady?”  
  
“You are you,” she whispers, and we continue to work on killing mobs until we decide we should go have lunch.  
  
“We should find a blacksmith to repair our weapons,” I tell her as we walk out of the labyrinth. “And also enhance them as best as we can.”  
  
“You have mentioned enhancing weapons before, and I can imagine what that does, but... how does it work, exactly?”  
  
Time to explain things. Fortunately, she is intelligent, so she will not need too much to realize everything.  
  
“Alright. Each weapon has five states: Accuracy, Durability, Heaviness, Quickness and Sharpness. Each stat affects the weapon in a different way: Accuracy increases the probability of dealing critical injuries, Durability marks how much punishment a weapon can take before it is destroyed, Heaviness adds to the damage on a factor that depends on the type of weapon, Quickness indicates how fast attacking with it can be and Sharpness measures how well it cuts into the enemy. Of course, depending on the weapon you will want to improve different stats. For example, increasing a hammer's Sharpness is a waste of time and money.  
  
“Now, every weapon has a limit of how many times it can be enhanced: for example, Wind Fleuret can only be enhanced six times. The problems are that you need to provide the blacksmith a number of materials so they can carry out the enhancement, and that there is a chance the enhancement will not take, or will change your weapons' properties, while you lose an enhancement slot. The chances improve the more additional materials you provide, but either way the probability is not zero.”  
  
“How much have you enhanced your own sword?”  
  
“Right now, I have enhanced its Durability and Sharpness three times each, and I still have two more enhancement slots available. It plays well with my fighting style. As for you, I would go with Durability first, and then Accuracy or Quickness.”  
  
“What happens if I try to enhance the weapon beyond the enhancement limit?”  
  
“The weapon breaks down.”  
  
“Pity. And when your weapon stops being good enough for fighting? I suppose you already have made plans to get a better weapon in the future.”  
  
“Oh, yes. Swords made by a blacksmith tend to be better than those found via drops – one player blacksmith would surely be a great boon to us players' ability to fight our way to the top. And you can also transform your old weapons into special ingots that can be used as material to make new weapons that, on average, are better than those made with normal materials.”  
  
“I can see that. It... it could also be a way to say that you would be using the same weapon from the beginning to the end, at least in spirit.”  
  
“That's the basic idea, actually.” I remember how Aunt Midori told me my bicycle had become too small for me, so it would be good if I gave it to another child who could use it. Of course, I was quite reluctant to do it, but then the mechanic I took the bicycle to told me about the 'bike spirit' being in a certain screw, which he gave me so I could replace it in the next bike I got – and that same screw has been in all of my bicycles ever since. “After we get your sword improved, how about we have dinner in Tolbana? My treat.”  
  
Asuna turns to look at me, and her eyes actually sparkle as she rewards me with a beautiful smile.  
  
“Is... is this your way to ask me out on a date?”  
  
OK, do not panic. Consider next words very carefully. Consider what is less likely to make her angry. Consider digging up your tomb.  
  
“It is if you want it to be,” I reply. The answer seems to please her, for her smile illuminates and she pulls me closer to her.  
  
“If it is, then I think I might say yes, after all.” She kisses my cheek again, takes my arm and waits for me to guide her.  
  
“In that case, my Lady, allow me to show you the taverns of this fine town,” I tell her, placing my arm so as to escort her across Tolbana. I point to the different options available to us, and eventually she picks one that she feels curious about.  
  
That night, we have a great dinner together. We exchange ideas, jokes, even share our dessert. I have been a lone wolf for so long, and suddenly, I meet a beautiful girl and somehow manage to establish such a deep connection with her. What would Sugu say if she saw what I was doing?  
  
Before we retire back to the farm – as I have offered her the second bed once more, not wanting her to waste money on an inn room – I insist in leading her to the best NPC blacksmith in town, who is there to provide service to all the players that are keen on assaulting the labyrinth. Asuna requests the blacksmith to increase her Wind Fleuret's Accuracy and Durability, and while the blacksmith works on it, she takes my hand 'for luck' – which apparently works, because soon enough her Wind Fleuret is a 3A1D weapon that I am sure is going to be scoring critical strikes on anything we find in the labyrinth.  
  
When we arrive to the farm, we have a glass of milk, she gives herself a milk moustache that makes her look so adorable I actually complain when she cleans it up. Then, she wishes me a good night, kisses me on the cheek, and we fall asleep on different beds.  
  
The next morning, I wake up to a familiar weight on my chest, that precious chestnut-copper mane covering everything, and an angel asleep on top of me.  
  
I think there must be a glitch of some kind here: it's the second time she ends up in my arms after going to sleep on another bed.  
  
One thing is sure, though.  
  
I am most certainly not going to be the one that complains about it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: There you have it! Chapter 1.4., fresh out of the oven! Careful with the burns!
> 
> We finally get to the meeting... and things don't go like in canon, once more! Also, meet my first OC for this story, Ringoshīdo (that's 林檎シード, a Google translation of Appleseed).
> 
> One of the first things I planned to make was to have someone, other than Agil, bring up a loud and clear counterpoint to Kibaou's absurd demands, but from a different point: after all, why should people trust he will do as he says, when he is irrationally blaming all beta testers for something that is clearly not their fault? So I decided to pull it off by bringing in a girl that is video-game savvy, unafraid of speaking her mind and capable of pulling off her weight. For some reason, I started to imagine her as an American girl (maybe the daughter of a soldier stationed in an US base in Japan?) with a liking for American tall tales... and then my mind went straight to "Simpson Tall Tales" (a The Simpsons episode where several American tall tales are Simpsonized) and "Connie Appleseed". So I said: why don't I just have the OC take that as her SAO name? So, there you are.
> 
> Don't worry, Ringoshīdo won't be stealing the show at all. She will make appearances here and there, but obviously the story's main girl will always be Asuna. When I bring Ringoshīdo, one of the things she will probably do is to make Shout-Outs to Bruce Springsteen, basically because I love The Boss' music.
> 
> We are also seeing growing interest between our Lady and Knight, even with Argo being there to totally troll the two of them because she really can see it, even though they've only met a few hours earlier. Aaand... also the kids' first date. Aren't they adorable? Particularly when they end up with milkstaches?


	5. First Arc, That One Game: 1.5. Boss One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The raid team finally enters Floor One's Labyrinth in order to fight and kill the first Floor Boss... but things are not easy.

**First Arc: That One Game  
** **1.5. Boss One**

_December 3rd 2022 – Aincrad Day Thirty-Two_

_Aincrad, Floor One, Tolbana_

Today, unlike yesterday, the moment we wake up we do start getting ready for battle. After having breakfast and topping up on potions, Asuna and I go to the amphitheatre to join the raid party, finding that most of yesterday's group is here already. From what I hear, everybody feels quite optimistic about our chances against Illfang, and looking at Asuna, I let myself be infected by said optimism.

“Well? What do you think?” I ask her.

“I think we have good chances of getting through today. This is... eighty plus people against the first boss? Not easy, but certainly feasible.”

“I'm so glad you agree, A-chan!”

“Hey, Argo,” I say, as the broker suddenly appears next to Asuna. I really wish I could ask her how she does it, but I am sure she would put the prize somewhere around the same she demands for her whiskers. “So, you are going to join the raid today?”

“I think I will,” she states, pulling out a pair of claws, the weapons she tended to go to when fighting in the beta. “These two gents have not tasted virtual blood in quite some time, and I think I really need to get some experience on fighting.”

“Then, will you join our party?” I open up my menu and shoot an invitation to Argo, who gladly accepts it. Immediately, under Asuna's HP bar, I see another with Argo's name under it.

“Nyahaha, this is going to be fun. Now, I want to know, you guys had a good, fun-filled night yesterday, right? Did he treat you well, A-chan? Yesterday's offer is still open, by the way,” she whispers, winking at Asuna. Asuna rolls her eyes, although I can still see a small blush on her cheeks.

“Just for your information, Kirito-kun was a perfect gentleman the entire day. He helped me enhance my new weapon, supported me while I killed several mobs, invited me to dinner and then offered me the use of the second bed in his place.”

“Thanks for the information! Now I have more proof that Kii-bou is the nicest in town!” Argo pulls out a bag of coins from her inventory. “Here, have five hundred Cor in exchange!”

Asuna looks at the bag in her hands and then at me, and I just shrug my shoulders in defeat. When Argo is in her inquisitive mode, dealing with her only has one available option: try to reduce collateral damage and do not say anything she (or anyone else) may use against you.

“Oi! You three!”

I turn my head to see another player who appears to be wearing armor much like Diavel's, but if my experience says something, it is not as good as the blue-haired knight's. This one has brown, longish hair, tied down in a tail to keep it away from his face, and a frank smile.

“Are the three of you in a full party?”

“No, it's just the three of us,” I reply. The player tssks when hearing it.

“Pity, I could use another full team, but you look like good fighters. Anyway, my name is Lind, and I could use you three in helping eliminate Illfang's minions while the rest of the raid is busy with the boss.”

“Sure. How many teams are there in the raid?” Argo asks.

“Eleven full parties of seven and two incomplete ones with three players each, including yours. Hopefully, it will be enough to deal with Illfang.”

“Good to know. That makes 83 players in total. Thank you.”

“What is this about?” I ask her when Lind leaves to speak with Diavel.

“I am planning to begin a newspaper. This raid will be perfect for the first issue,” Argo replies, and I can tell that she is clearly optimistic about the final result of this raid.

_Aincrad, First Floor Labyrinth, Floor Boss' Room_

Finally, at 10 AM, we begin to make our way to the gates, as all of us get the full map data of the labyrinth, so we can follow the best path going up. In order to spread the experience around and give everyone time to warm up, Diavel organizes a rotation of the teams in the front of the raid: when it is our turn, Argo, Asuna and I begin to practice our moves and collaboration, particularly the switch maneuvers, since we could not train them much in our previous grinding and we also had to include Argo in the cycle. At least, she does manage to get a new level, putting herself on level 10, compared to Asuna's 12 and my 13.

Upon reaching the gate – which is identical to the one in the beta, even if it is in a different place – we pile up around it, as Diavel turns to us, solemn.

“This... this is where it begins. Remember today, everyone... because it will be day one of our fight to prove to Kayaba that we are together, that we are strong, and that we are going to get out of this death trap he calls a game. Are you with me?”

“YEAH!” everyone shouts. No matter what you could say, Diavel is quite the motivational speaker.

“Then, let's go in, beat this boss and reach the next floor!”

Diavel turns around once more and pushes the gate open.

The plan, discussed on the way here, is technically quite simple. The tanks will be forward, ready to block the boss' attacks and keeping its attention on them, rotating every once in a while so they can restore their health. The attack parties, formed by DPS and other assorted fighters, will use the tanks' distractions to Illfang to cause as much damage as possible before retreating. The other groups will mostly deal with eliminating Illfang's minions when they appear and support the attack parties the rest of the time.

Our group is part of the latter cattegory, and, since it is just three of us in the party, we are expected to go back and forth, in order to shore up whichever group needs more help. It is not exactly my favorite role, as it means moving non-stop and keeps us away from the boss. Admittedly, the latter is actually good in part, because the boss is likelier to kill us, since we are not exactly tanks – but it does keep me from that sweet, sweet Last Bonus Attack.

As we enter the room, though, I immediately notice that the plans that had been developed are going to require some on-the-fly fixing. Yes, Illfang is sitting at the throne on the other end of the room, with his axe and shield in hand. However, right now there are not three, but five Ruin Kobold Sentinels.

“OK, that's one change,” someone – Ringoshīdo, if I am not mistaken – exclaims. “And I bet that's not the only change we'll see!”

“Who cares, though? We are going to beat it anyway!” Kibaou shouts back, and the raid charges ahead. The five Sentinels are easily overwhelmed by numbers as Illfang stands up, and soon enough the tanks are standing as Illfang begins to swing its axe.

“Jump!” Agil, who has been designated Team A's leader, orders, and as the axe comes down on them the group steps away from it, causing it to strike the ground and get stuck for a few valuable seconds – more than enough for the tanks to start acquiring aggro and cause enough damage to make it noticeable in the HP bar. Illfang screams in pain, and pulls the axe back.

At that moment, several Sentinels begin to enter the room, either from the gate or jumping from holes in the walls, likely at the call of Illfang. Damnit, Kayaba, what were you thinking when you changed all of this?

“Asuna, Argo, come with me!” I tell my partners, charging at the closest Sentinel as I line up [Horizontal]. Releasing control, the strike almost kills it, allowing Asuna to skewer it with a [Linear] aimed at its head. Argo, meanwhile, takes on a second Sentinel and uses [Cat's Wrath] on it, slashing several times in a couple of seconds, weakening it enough that a simple slash from my sword decapitates it. “Diavel, the Sentinels are respawning!”

“TEAM G, SUPPORT IN THE BACK! TEAMS A AND B, ROTATE! TEAM E, SWITCH IN!”

It's not a bad strategy – the problem is that it does not help much right now. Argo, Asuna and I manage to wipe half of the Sentinels that had entered the room while the other groups take care of the rest, but the mobs continue to pour in, one by one, meaning that the fight is nonstop.

“They spawn every time Illfang screams in pain,” Asuna points out as she uses [Oblique] on another kobold, instantly killing it.

“That means Illfang needs to get taken down fast, or we will be overwhelmed,” Argo replies, releasing [Acute Vault] against yet another kobold.

Fortunately, the players at the front do realize the same thing, and continue whaling on Illfang as us in the back rake on Cor and experience from killing Sentinels. Finally, Illfang's first HP bar drops to zero – and Illfang _roars_.

“Everybody, back off!” Agil shouts, and everybody follows the order, because after the little surprise with the Sentinels, they know better than to trust the system. This time, ten Sentinels literally jump in the middle of the room and begin to attack everyone, as Illfang's axe begins to shine.

“CAREFUL! He's going to throw out a Sword Skill!” Diavel states. “TEAM A, READY FOR IMPACT!”

“That's [Whirlwind]! Hold onto your shields!” Agil orders.

Indeed, it is the basic axe Sword Skill, which Illfang uses to attack all of the tank group at the same time. They are all thrown back by the strength of the strike, and two of them fall to the ground. The shields have resisted the attack, fortunately, but it is obvious that most of Team A is going to need time to recover.

“ROTATE! TEAM B TO THE FRONT! TEAM D, COVER THE CHANGE!”

As the tank groups change places, Diavel leads the DPS makers into a rapid attack against Illfang, causing it to lose close to a fifth of his second HP bar in the strike. The battle continues to rage on, with us in the back killing the Sentinels that keep coming in to prevent them from reaching the players concentrated in Illfang. The boss continues to attack them, using more and more Sword Skills as its HP bar keeps decreasing.

Finally, its second HP bar breaks, and another roar shakes the room. We prepare for the next influx of minions – but this time, while there are only three of them, they are obviously stronger than the Sentinels we have been killing: a rapid look indicates that these are Ruin Kobold Captains, the improved versions of the Sentinels.

“Crap,” someone summarizes his opinion.

“Never seen one of those before.”

“I have,” I say. “But they first appear on Floor Three. By the time we reach that place, they should be relatively easy to deal with, but right now? They are going to be painful.”

“The bigger they are, the harder they fall!” Kibaou charges, and I immediately run behind him: I know this kind of player, the one that in World of Warcraft tended to scream 'LEEROY JENKINS' as they happily run against the enemy only to get pummeled. Lo and behold, as he attacks one of the Captains, he gets sufficiently distracted that said Captain manages to counterattack, and I end up using [Vertical] to prevent it from continuing to attack Kibaou.

“Careful, they have better Sword Skills than the Sentinels,” I state before I finish up the Captain with a [Rage Spike]. I cast a rapid look at Asuna, who is busy destroying the second Captain with the aid of Argo and her claws. “What's your opinion on your first boss fight, my Lady?”

“My opinion, my Knight, is that I can't wait to reach Floor One Hundred and destroy the last boss,” Asuna replies, putting an end to her enemy. I chuckle as I continue with the fight.

The Captains respawn shortly after, keeping us busy once more. However, I make sure to keep an eye on Illfang and the players fighting it. Pixel by pixel, the boss' third HP bar drops. The tanks now have less time to rest between rotations as Illfang's strikes become stronger and faster. The attackers can barely do one or two strikes before they acquire too much aggro and have to switch out. But they bring down Illfang's HP, and just as we put an end to the last standing captain, the third HP bar vanishes, and Illfang gives out a new roar – one different from those that marked the loss of his first and second bars.

“He's ours now! Quick, surround him and attack!” Diavel orders, marching forward and preparing to attack Illfang. The rest of the players nearby cheer and follow his orders, while Illfang drops his axe and shield and brings his hands to the back.

That is the moment I realize something is wrong.

The talwar, the sword Illfang had in the beta, is a one-handed sword, yet here and now he is bringing both hands. That prompts me to check the weapon's hilt, and I realize that it is nothing at all like a talwar's.

I begin running towards the monster, as it pulls from the hilt and begins to unsheathe the sword – longer and thinner than a talwar.

“Die, monster!” Diavel shouts, preparing a Sword Skill.

“BACK OFF! EVERYBODY, BACK OFF! THAT'S NOT A TALWAR! IT'S A NODACHI!”

The problem with the nodachi, in comparison to the talwar, is multiple. The first is that, with a longer blade, the nodachi actually has a larger reach. The second is that, as it is wielded with two hands, one strike from the weapon can hurt a lot more. The third is that, while a talwar works with the [One-Hunded Curved Sword] skill, a nodachi uses [Katana], a powerful Extra Skill that does not become available until Floor Five, and requires completing [One-Handed Curved Sword] _and_ a Quest. And [Katana]'s Sword Skills are completely different from [One-Handed Curved Sword]'s – enough that the strategy Diavel plans to use is completely useless.

“What?” Diavel asks, distracted by my shout, as he unleashes his Sword Skill. That's when Illfang unleases a Sword Skill of his own: [Tsumujiguruma], a skill that is similar to [Whirlwind] in that it attacks everything around the user. Although relatively weak compared to other Sword Skills, it has a very powerful component: any enemy that has been struck by it is pushed back and suffers from the [Stunned] status effect, immobilizing them for a few seconds, leaving them completely defenseless.

That's what happens then: the tanks, Diavel and the rest of Team D are sent flying away and end up on the floor, unable to move for a few seconds. A few seconds too many, considering that they are next to a floor boss, which clearly sets its sight on Diavel as it charges another Sword Skill. I have not seen most of the [Katana] Sword Skills at work to comment, but the position of the nodachi tells me that it must be some kind of uppercut-like strike.

I try to go faster, wishing I had [Sprint] as one of my skills already, but it is too late to prevent Illfang's attack.

Diavel is, once more, sent flying into the air. In spite of the lack of pain, I can hear him scream as his HP drops to the middle of the yellow zone: I wonder if he screams because he has realized he is screwed up. And, with everyone that is close enough still [Stunned] or just paralyzed in fear, Illfang is free to prepare another Sword Skill. Again, I cannot tell what it is, but I can tell something: if I don't stop it, Diavel is going to _die_.

And I'll be _damned_ if I let anyone be killed on my watch.

I have only one shot at saving him. I judge the distance between myself and Illfang, and compare to what I can do with my Sword Skills. Illfang finishes the pre-motion for whatever it is going to do. I do the same for [Rage Spike] and _jump_.

Illfang's first attack of a three-hit combo hits Diavel, and his HP bar reaches the border between yellow and red.

The second strike does not arrive home, because I deflect it thanks to [Rage Spike], so hard that Illfang ends up stumbling backwards, its face showing surprise mixed with fury.

“I WILL NOT LET YOU KILL ANYONE, KAYABA!” I scream, furious, and I prepare my blade for the fight. One thing I was taught by my grandfather was that a true warrior controls their wrath and uses it to power their strikes; the warrior that lets their wrath control them is a warrior that will be defeated. I use that lesson well, and I unleash [Vertical] against Illfang, taking advantage of its previous stumble, and opening the way for others.

“SWITCH!” I shout, and skip back while Asuna replaces me; she uses [Diagonal Sting], setting herself up into following with [Parallel Sting] before retreating.

“SWITCH!” Argo joins in, deciding to use her [Cat's Wrath] on Illfang's lengs, making it stumble again, before she strikes deep with her claws and sneaks into his back.

That's when I jump in again, literally: once more, I use [Rage Spike] to fly into the air and attack Illfang's torso, before I follow with [Vertical Arc] first and then [Horizontal]. I turn to the others.

“Back off, five metres at least, heal up! We'll cover you!”

It is only thirty seconds. Thirty seconds of a deadly dance between Argo, Asuna and me, as we do our best to force Illfang to concentrate on us and keep it from attacking.

We do it.

When Illfang prepares a Sword Skill, I force it to cancel the pre-motion. This causes it to stumble, opening the way for a swift attack with my Anneal Blade.

When I block the Sword Skill, Asuna pierces deep with rapid stabs of her Wind Fleuret, opening multiple wounds in a short time.

Argo keeps Illfang distracted by using her position in a place it can barely reach to in order to stab and slash with the claws.

We keep it busy, indeed. But this is not a rhythm we can keep forever.

The three of us have managed to bring Illfang to half of his last HP bar, when I mistime one of my blocks. I hurt Illfang – but it also hurts me, sending me flying against a nearby wall. Between the sword and the impact, I am brought down close to my red zone.

“KIRITO-KUN!” Asuna screams as Illfang raises its nodachi to cut me down forever.

That's when Agil and the rest of Team A steps in the middle, putting their shields right on top of me, using their combined force to prevent it from striking me and sharing the damage between them all.

“Get him a potion! We'll keep it busy!” the giant of a man orders, and Team A forces the sword back, ready to be tanks once more, distracting it just enough. Asuna kneels next to me and puts a potion on my mouth: I drink greedily – it tastes horrible, but it's like medicine, not taking it is worse – and breathe more easily as my HP bar returns to the green region.

“Are you well, Kirito-kun?” she asks, worried. I wipe my mouth with the back of my hand and smile at her.

“Yes, I am. Let's kill this monster!”

Asuna smiles back, and I take her hand to stand up, before we charge again, passing between Team A's shields, swords in hand.

Asuna's greater agility favors her in this race, and she makes a deep wound by launching [Linear] against its belly. I follow her steps with [Slant], and I grin when I notice we have brought the last HP bar into the red zone. Then, I have a crazy idea, but one that can really help if we execute it correctly.

“Asuna! Jump!” I shout as I turn my back on Illfang and lace my fingers. A really, really risky maneuver, but I think it is totally worth it, because Asuna understands what I mean and immediately runs towards me. My hands in place, she jumps, steps right on the hold I have produced for her – and then I throw her into the air thanks to my increased strength. Illfang decides to attack me, but I immediately duck under the nodachi – while Asuna is in the perfect position to use [Oblique], and with her position in the air, the short-ranged attack causes even more damage. Screaming in pain, Illfang attempts to grab Asuna with its left hand, but she is quick enough to avert it – although not fast enough to prevent it from grabbing her cape, ripping it and causing its durability to drop to zero.

I allow myself a second or two to bask in her beauty before I tell my brain that this is not the time to drool over a shooting star: this is time to end this fight. And, as Argo attacks Illfang's legs again, the monster falls to one knee – perfectly setting it up for us to kill it.

“One last attack, Asuna,” I tell my partner. Illfang's life is on the low red. One last attack will do it. _Has_ to do it.

I throw Asuna into the air again, and we prepare our last Sword Skills: Asuna, most appropiately, [Shooting Star]. Me, [Vertical Arc].

“NOW!” Asuna shouts, and we unleash the Sword Skills at the same time. I do not know who reaches the monster first, who does more damage or who erases the last hit point. I can only feel myself falling on my knees, with Asuna doing the same right next to me, hands on the ground, as utterly exhausted as I am.

Two seconds after our combined attack, the last bit of red in the HP bar disappears. Illfang gives one last dying, painful groan, collapses on the ground and explodes in a cloud of red, green and blue polygons.

And right after that, in front of my eyes, one word. One word that is the proof of what I, _we_ have managed to do.

_CONGRATULATIONS!_

“We did it,” Asuna says immediately, almost as if she cannot believe that we have managed to carry out such a grand feat. I turn to look at her right as she looks at me, and she looks... magnificent. Beautiful. Radiant. And then, she smiles, a brilliant, dazzling, joyful smile.

Like a shooting star.

I do not know who moves first. But suddenly, we are hugging, holding onto each other as if we need some kind of anchor, as both of us break down in tears and laughter, as the tension accumulated over thirty-one days of being trapped into this death game finally collapses.

I cry because I never told Suguha how much I love her, how grateful I am for everything she has done for me and that I never acknowledged before. How I haven't congratulated her enough for all the effort she put into kendo, and how proud I am she has become so strong because of it.

I cry because I never told Aunt Midori or Uncle Minetaka that I did not care that I was their biological nephew, because they had been my parents since I was one year old and that what a piece of paper said should not have mattered, for them adopting me showed that they loved me.

I cry for all those players who have died in the past month, and that will never be able to return to a normal life, one that has been robbed of them by this death game and by Akihiko Kayaba, and for the families that are out there, waiting for either our death or our liberation.

But I laugh because there are still more than eighteen thousand people here, eighteen thousand people that can train, become stronger, create support for the efforts to go up all the way to our freedom, and to whom we have now given hope that it can be done.

I laugh because I was a lonely kid, and twenty four hours ago I found someone that somehow understands me, that I can relate to, that I feel a connection to that I did not know could really exist.

I laugh because we have done what we thought was impossible.

We have cleared the First Floor.

There are still ninety-nine more to go.

But the important thing is that we have not let Kayaba win.

This will not be our tomb.

We are going to beat this game.

We are going to _live_.


	6. First Arc, That One Game: 1.6. One Plus One Equals Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With Illfang out of the way, the players can now reach the Second Floor. What happens to Kirito and Asuna? What will they find up there?

**First Arc: That One Game**

****1.6. One Plus One Equals Two** **

_December 3rd 2022 – Aincrad Day Thirty-Two_

_Aincrad, Floor One, Floor Boss' Room_

As Asuna and I keep crying and laughing and clinging to each other like a drowning man to salvation, our fellow players cheer, scream, shout, high-five, jump, hug... it is an explosion of joy as everyone finally sees the word that demonstrates that we will be able to win.

And, the best of all is, we have done it without a single casualty. There have been several close calls, but teamwork, decisive action, good strategy and a bit of luck have secured our (almost) flawless victory in this battle.

Asuna and I purge ourselves of the pain we have kept hidden in us for a month, and as we manage to calm down I lean back enough to be able to look into her eyes, shining both with the tears she has been dropping and the joy of victory and hope.

“We did it, Asuna,” I whisper, almost still not believing it.

“We did it, Kirito-kun,” she repeats, gently pressing her forehead against mine, and I let myself be swept up once more by the hazel wells of her eyes. “Thank you. I wouldn't have been here without you.”

“I'm glad you are here. I would have been unable to do this without you.” Her smile turns just a bit more brilliant, and with my hand I clear a bit of the path her tears have marked across her cheek. And I know, without any other proof, that my outlook in life has taken a sudden turn to the right.

When I started this game, I thought I would be able to go through the entire game as a solo player, at least until I had no other choice but to join a guild, in order to deal with the bosses in the higher floors.

Today, on Day Thirty Two, I have a beautiful, smart, magnificent fencer lady in my arms, and she has managed to bury herself so deep into my own soul that the mere possibility that I could end up being alone terrifies me.

Going solo means that you get all the experience, all the money, all the items from the monsters you kill. But it also means that you have no support when you truly need it. No one to give you a hand to stand up when you fall. No one to cover your back. No one to speak with. No one to stand next to.

As weird as it may sound... we are like the Yin-Yang symbol. She is the white to my black. The day to my night. The complement that I need to regain my balance.

The shooting star I have been going after for my entire life.

We break off our hug, and Argo tackles us, an arm around my shoulders and the others around Asuna's, laughing, but not the usual laugh when she tries to make good-natured fun of someone – this is a laugh of real happiness.

“A-chan, Kii-bou, that was _awesome_!” she exclaims, smiling.

“Indeed,” Agil states, crouching next to us. “The two of you... that was magnificent. Almost like a dance.”

“You set it up for us to do the last attack, Argo. Thank you,” I tell her, putting a hand on her shoulder and giving her a squeeze. “And you, Agil... thank you, too. You and Team A saved my life back there.”

“And you saved ours, with your defeat of Illfang. Consider any debt between us fulfilled.” Standing up, Agil offers us both a hand, and Asuna and I shake it as he helps us stand up again. When he releases us, she hugs me again, and I relish the feeling of her in my arms.

“We did it, my Knight,” she whispers into my ear.

“We did it, my Lady,” I whisper back to her.

“So, now that you two have killed the boss, which one of you got the Last Attack Bonus? I really want to see what you got!” Argo interrupts, almost skipping in place as Asuna and I slowly let each other go.

“I... am not sure,” I reply, hesitantingly, while I check the status window. I immediately notice that, between killing Illfang and all the kobolds, I have earned a good sum of Cor, and I have now reached level 14 with all the accumulated experience. Looking into my inventory reveals that the kobolds have dropped quite a few objects – and I also find a particular object.

The Coat of Midnight. It boosts [Hiding], gives a decent extra Defence, can be put above Leather Armor and it comes in black, just the way I like it. I immediately put it on, and become satisfied as the longcoat automatically adjusts over my shoulders. Perfect.

“How?” Asuna exclaims, and when I turn to her, I see that she is now wearing a new cloak, one that shines pure white, covering her about as much as her old red cloak did, but right now with her hood back: somehow, she has also received a Last Attack Bonus from killing Illfang.

“I thought there could only be one Last Attack Bonus per boss,” Agil points out, obviously surprised.

“It's because of how they did it,” someone else interjects, and when I look at the speaker I find it to be Diavel: they must have given him a good number of potions or a Healing Crystal, because he seems to be at maximum health again. “Your attacks were simultaneous, and both would have done enough damage to kill it if they had happened separately. The system probably considered that both of you killed it simultaneously, and chose to give you both a reward. Although I find it curious as well that the Last Attack Bonus is different for each of you,” Diavel finishes.

Next to him stands Kibaou, who, unlike most other players around, seems to be angry.

“You... you cheater! You knew about the changes and didn't say a thing before!” the cactus haired man shouts, but before anyone can fire back a retort or he can continue, Diavel raises a hand, as if to halt him.

“No, Kibaou-san, this is not the blame of Kirito-san. It is as Ringoshīdo-san warned us could happen: Kayaba changed multiple parameters of the boss fight, like the number of Sentinels or the Captains. I should have considered the probability that he would also change the last bar protocol.”

“How... how do you know that?” Kibaou asks, astonished. Diavel gives him a look of pity, before turning to me, apology in his eyes.

“You were also a beta tester,” I state, and now things make sense. For example, how he found the rare blue dye for his hair. How he got the money for an armor that I am sure is quite expensive. Why he ran ahead so confidently when Illfang was in its last HP bar.

“I was. And I must apologize to you, Kirito-san, for it was me that was trying to buy your Anneal Blade.”

“Why? You could just have gone to Horunka and done the quest, it would have taken you... what, one day?”

“Blame my...” here, Diavel's expression turns melancholic, and he gives a sigh. “My sense of entitlement. When Kayaba declared that this was a death game, I realized I wanted to be the best player in the game. I wanted to be the hero. I knew that the Anneal Blade was the best sword in this floor, and that you had found it quite easily, the same you did during the beta test. And you were the best of the beta testers. So, I got it in my head that if I could somehow get that sword from you, I would become stronger while you became weaker, and that way I could become the hero.

“But... turns out looking at death in the face as I just did makes wonders for waking you up to reality. It's not a matter of who gets to be the hero. This is about saving as many people as possible, and that cannot be done by becoming stronger at the expense of others, but by helping them like you have. I do not expect forgiveness, but... I hope we will be able to work together in the future.”

Wow. That was a big confession. Diavel certainly has guts, to be willing to actually tell me he tried to screw with my survival chances. In a different situation, I would have been furious, but now I am just angry, because I recognize that it is pretty much what Argo said during the meeting. 'Angry and desperate people doing dumb things'. And, well, even with that, Diavel has been doing his best to help others. If it hadn't been for him and his friends, this raid wouldn't have gone as well as it did.

“I won't say I'm not disappointed, but I understand why you did what you did. And, if you are willing to work with everyone in order to beat this game... I think I'll be able to forgive you, Diavel.”

The blue-haired knight gives a slight smile and bows to me.

“Thank you, Kirito-san. First, for saving my life, and then for killing Illfang. And the same goes for you, Asuna-san, Argo-san.”

“You are welcome, Diavel-san,” Asuna replies, while Argo chuckles and scratches the back of her head. Meanwhile, Kibaou stands there, almost in shock, looking alternatively at Diavel, Asuna and me, not knowing what is going on.

“You... he... what...”

“Kibaou-san, come with me, my friend. I think we need to talk,” Diavel states, putting an arm around Kibaou's shoulders and guiding him towards the main group. Argo whistles.

“Phew! I thought Kibaou was going to go on again about the beta testers,” she states.

“It may only be a reprieve, but hopefully he will learn that his anti-tester attitude is not going to go anywhere,” Agil replies, before putting his hands on mine and Asuna's shoulders. “Asuna, Kirito, I think it is time to activate the teleporter. You deserve the honor of being the first to step in the second floor.”

“Yeah, you two lovebirds go up on your own. I'll be down here, spreading the news! Sa!” Argo exclaims, starting to write her message while walking towards the gate we used to enter this room.

“So, my Lady... do you want to go up and see what the Second Floor has to offer us,” I ask Asuna, who gives me another of her radiant smiles.

“I would not say no to that invitation... my Knight.”

She immediately goes after my hand, interlaces her fingers with mine, and then begins to pull me towards the other door in the room while our fellow players cheer on us. Crossing the door, the sounds of celebration fade as we find a long set of stairs in front of us, starting to climb immediately.

“I can't believe it. We have managed to clear the first floor,” I say out loud.

“You better believe it, _partner_ ,” Asuna replies, and I turn to look at her, dazzling in her new white cape.

“What does your new cape do? I have never seen anything like that before.”

“Oh, this? It's the Sunlight Cloak. It boosts [Searching] and increases my Agility. Not sure of how it does that, though.”

“My Coat of Midnight boosts [Hiding] and my Defense. Funny that: it's complimentary to yours. Like the Yin-Yang.”

Asuna giggles.

“It does,” she states, and as she looks at me, she begins to blush. “That longcoat... it looks very good on you.”

I feel myself blushing too. During my life, I have not been the target of many female compliments, apart from my aunt and my cousin, so getting one now catches me by surprise. But I do feel like I have to return it. Fortunately, she makes it easy.

“The cape looks good on you too, my Lady.”

Her blush intensifies, and silence – a companiable silence – falls between us as we continue our climb up the tower, and I feel the pad of her thumb brush the back of my hand as we walk.

The silence finally breaks when we push the gates open, and Asuna has her first look at Floor Two.

_Aincrad, Floor Two, Gate from Floor One_

“Wow! This is amazing!” Asuna exclaims, looking around her.

“Yes, it is. Personally, I think Kayaba got into binge-watching Far West films while he was working on this floor,” I tell her, and she gives out a soft laughter.

The second floor does, indeed, look like it was pulled out of the United States. From our position here, all we can see is a large plain, full of long grass and dotted here and there with a few copses of trees, with only a few towns connected by dirt roads in-between. In the southern half of this floor, there are several mountains, mesas and caves, all fitting the image of the Colorado Canyon and the semi-desertic lands of that region.

“Well, you are the beta tester, Kirito-kun. Where do you suggest we go?”

“Unless Kayaba has changed too many things... we should go to Urbus.” I point in the distance, to the only place we can see with buildings in sight. “That's technically the capital of this floor, and it contains the most important element for transportation – a teleporter that connects to the Town of Beginnings. Which we have to activate so everyone else can reach this floor.”

“You will have to show me everything you know about Urbus, then. You are the expert in this, after all.”

“Of course, my Lady. And I hope that you will enjoy it.”

Hand in hand, we walk the distance towards Urbus. While technically a city, it's more accurate to describe it as a town, since it is about the same size as most towns in Japan. Built in the middle of a crater, the architecture looks European, but with some touches that clearly come from other cultures. Truly, the mixture of ideas Kayaba has put together in order to create this castle is quite absurd. If this were not a Death Game, I might actually have admired it.

Walking through Urbus' streets, I point to Asuna the main shops, buildings and taverns we can see, telling her a few of the things I did or saw there during the beta test, until we reach a pillar that reaches up to our chest, a green crystal-like sphere on the top, and a monument with the form of a gate next to it.

“Here it is,” I finish, as if I were a touristic guide, for the benefit of the girl standing next to me.

“The gate will open when we push that sphere down, right?”

“Right. You are slowly becoming a veteran of the game, even though you were a novice a month ago.”

“How could I not become a veteran? After all, I have a great Sensei teaching me everything I need to know,” she fires back, and I chuckle as Asuna places our joined hands above the sphere.

“Let's do it together on three.”

“Let's do it. One?”

“Two.”

“Three!” we shout together as we push the sphere. This turns red as it sinks into the pillar, and slowly, in the empty center of the gate, forms a bluish spiral that slowly grows as it begins to cover the entire gate, finally opening the way for all players to be able to visit or establish themselves here.

“Come on, this square will soon be filled with a lot of players,” I suggest, pulling her towards one of the nearby streets. “Since it's lunchtime, I'll show you where they make the best food in all of this city, and when that's done we can begin to explore the outskirts.”

“Guide away, then, my Knight!” she joyfully orders, and soon she is matching my speed while we laugh at the sights and the comments by newcomer players. I soon take her to my favorite tavern in this city, where I suggest Asuna which dishes to pick for lunch.

Unfortunately, that is when I discover several things.

The first, that Asuna's tastes do not run in the same direction as mine.

The second, that I should learn to warn her about certain issues.

“AAAAARGH!”

That's Asuna's reaction when she takes her first bite of the dish she had ordered. I immediately serve her a glass of the refreshing drinks they serve here, and takes the glass – and the following three she serves herself – attempting to stanch what must have been a burning sensation. I cringe at the glare she sends at me.

“I... am going to make an educated guess and say you do not like spicy food.”

“Kirito-kun,” she pants, her face red, for once not because of a blush. “I like spicy food as much as most everyone. This here is not spicy. This is a tool that could make a hole in the ground that reaches whatever is below Aincrad!”

I pick up my fork and steal some of the food in Asuna's dish, eating it and enjoying the sensation as it goes down my virtual throat.

“Seriously? I think it's delicious.”

Her gaze is now completely deadpan.

“I can't believe it. I just about burned everything I have between my mouth and my stomach – even though I literally have nothing that can be burned there – by taking a bite of this, and you eat it with a smile on your face.”

“I can't help it, my Lady. I love spicy food. Ever since I was a kid. And I have a built-in resistance to it.” I grin at her.

“I'll take that into account for the future, then,” she states, smiling back at me.

“So, since it is obvious that, through mine own ignorance, I have ruined your meal... is there something I can do to compensate you, my Lady?”

“Before we go to that... why do you call me 'my Lady'?”

“I didn't hear you complain yesterday about it. In fact, you decided to deem me your Knight.”

“It's not a complain. I actually like how you make it sound. I just wondered why you began doing it.”

“It feels... appropiate, you know? Granted, you are more like an Amazonian warrior princess than the classical image of a damsel in distress,” Asuna's cheeks blaze again, and this time it is not from the food. “But the title fits you. Of course, if you desire a title like 'Princess', I will be glad to provide.”

Asuna laughs at my comments.

“There's no need for that, Kirito-kun. I...” she places her hand over mine. “You can call me however you want. I also like to hear you call me Asuna or partner, my Knight.”

“Very well, partner. You have yet to answer my question, though. What can I do to compensate you?”

“I... I want you to be my partner,” she offers, leaning forward. “Is that good enough?”

“If that is your wish, then I shall grant it to you, my Lady.”

“Perfect for me, my Knight.” She leans back again and grabs her fork. “I... I don't think I will actually be able to eat this. And I feel guilty about it, even if it was made by a program in five or less seconds. So... would you help me with this? And then tell me another dish that will not require me to drink half a jar of water?”

There is. It is a bit spicy, nonetheless – that's the gimmick of this restaurant – but she eats it without an issue while I finish my dish and her original one. The dessert, I can tell she truly enjoys it, at least from the way she moans at the taste, so I guess I can mark this down as a successful outing.

“Shall we go out there and fight some mobs, partner?” she asks as we leave the tavern.

“I was about to make the same suggestion, partner. Be warned, though, that this floor's theme extends to far more than just the grounds surrounding the town.”

“What do you mean?” Asuna asks. I just grin and let her try her most insistent – and almost effective – attempts to pry an answer out of me – until we find a herd of the most common enemy to be found in Floor Two.

“Cows? Why cows? Considering what's in this floor, I would have suggested something like buffalos. That would fit the theme far better.”

“I suppose Kayaba wants us to become cowboys and cowgirls.” I proceed to attack the Trembling Ox that has attempted – and failed – to attacks us with a charge. “It is also more gamer logic. Anything that is big enough to hit you is a potential enemy. Just consider this as... hunting for food.”

“I quite doubt that people go hunt for food using swords and rapiers in the real world.”

“No, they don't. We would need spears to do that.”

“Still, it feels like videogames of this kind are some sort of... atavism of human culture, driving us into carrying out acts that modern civilization has left behind. Right?”

I raise an eyebrow as a look at her, and she rolls her eyes.

“Grade A student, remember?” Asuna stabs another Trembling Ox with [Triple Linear], an evolution of [Linear] that, as its name indicates, stabs the target three times. The ox moos pitifully as it collapses into polygons.

“I _do_ remember,” I answer with a chuckle. Ah, the dangers of walking around with a smart girl. “I do also remember saying that being so smart also makes you even more awesome.”

“Stop doing that,” she complains, stabbing another mob.

“Stop doing what?” My [Slant] fells another Ox, giving me several meat pieces and a pair of horns: food and materials for weapon making, awesome.

“Complimenting me that way.” Her [Diagonal Sting] takes out her next target. I decide that I am going to be more cheeky in my answers now. See what she replies with now.

“Make me stop,” I dare her.

“You are my Knight, aren't you? One would think that, since you are sworn to me, I should have the power to make you obey my orders.”

"Careful there, my Lady, or I will upgrade you to Asuna-hime.”

Asuna clears the last mob in several hundreds of meters, and as soon as it is obvious we are alone, she proceeds to step right in front of me, her face but a few centimetres from mine, her pretty luminous eyes bearing into mine. I think I lose all my ability to breath, and I gulp.

“Please, stop.” Does she have some kind of mental power? Because it feels almost as if she is trying to hypnotize me. I am _almost_ tempted to cave in to her desires. But I resist myself to the siren song of her eyes and her voice, even if I cannot look away.

“Nay, my Lady, I shall not,” I whisper to her. I feel her hands slipping over my shoulders, hands crossing behind my neck. I swear I even feel her fingers toying with my hair.

“You would reject your Lady's orders, my Knight?” I cannot tell easily, seeing that her eyes are trapping mine right now, but I think that she is actually smiling at my defiant attitude. I wonder what Suguha would say if she saw me right now: she would probably be wondering where the hell is Kazuto Kirigaya, and who this lovesick boy that looks like him is.

“Aye, I would. For, why should I be forced to deny the truth?”

Her eyebrow rises slightly. At least, that is what I can tell from my current vantage point. I feel her hand coming from behind my neck and softly caressing my cheek.

“Do not think that you are going to get away with this. One day, I will break your resolve, my Knight,” she whispers in a dangerous tone that makes me shiver, and not exactly because of fear.

“I will say what we say to Death. Not today,” I quote, and Asuna giggles.

“Pity.”

She finally blinks and looks away, and the spell is broken as I shake my head to clear out the clouds that have suddenly chosen to inhabit my brains. How is she so good at making me a dummy?

It is a few hours later, after killing multiple mobs – not only Trembling Oxen, but also several wolves that are weaker than the ones in Floor One – and getting enough items and materials that we are pretty much loaded to capacity, that we make our way back to Urbus.

“Before it gets too late in the night and all of that, where would you prefer to stay tonight? There are quite a few inns in Urbus, and all of them are quite good, even if they look like they could need some smoothening.”

“You still have that farm rented, right?”

“Yes. Today's the last night I have paid for, actually.”

“Then, why stay in an inn? We can stay there tonight, and take the teleporter early in the morning so we can begin our exploration of this place.”

“Makes sense. It wouldn't do to waste the hundred Cor the night that farm costs. Before we do that, though, we ought to have dinner. There are taverns here that sell non-spicy food, just to be safe.”

“It is good to see that you are learning from previous lessons, my Knight,” she says with a giggle, and then takes my arm, as if I were escorting her. Which I am in a way. “Shall we, then?”

“We shall, my Lady. After all, you deserve the best of the best that Aincrad has to offer,” I reply, booping her nose lightly while winking at her, making her laugh again.

Yes, this may not be normal. I find myself not caring much about being normal, though.

Not when I have somehow become so happy in this death game.

Not when I have finally found the shooting star I have been going after for so long.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And... that's a wrap! Thus ends the First Arc of _The White Lady and the Black Knight_. There is still an Interlude to come, though: **One Gaze Outside** , with Kayaba on the first day after the Beta ends, an important announcement on Aincrad Day Seven, and a look into the Kirigaya and Yuuki families on Aincrad Day Thirty-Two. This will be the answer to the petition some of you made.
> 
> Arc Two will be called **Elemental** , and is going to deal with the next few floors, the beginning of some quests (yes, the Elven War Quest is going to be there, I can hardly not mention it) and the first hints of characters that may, or may not, join the Yin-Yang Team (temporary name, until I find something that is better, which hopefully should not be hard).
> 
> Things to note from this chapter:  
> \- Last Attack Bonus for both - and I do explain why both Kirito and Asuna get it: their strikes were both damaging enough that either of them would have killed Illfang, but they struck at the same time and CARDINAL went crazy trying to determine who did it, so she just threw her hands in the air and gave them both an LAB - and just for the kicks, she decides to give them objects that compliment each other and fit their new owners' builds. Granted, Asuna's going to be just a bit more powerful because it boosts Agility (which is both her main offense and defense) and Searching (more useful because Hiding only works for certain situations, while Searching is good for a lot more things), but I'd say it is also a good show of the pattern between Kirito and Asuna.  
> \- Diavel is man enough to admit his mistakes and how he was almost undone by his wish to be the hero at the expense of others (it is actually canon that Diavel was trying to get the Anneal Blade off Kirito precisely because he knew Kirito would probably become the hero thanks to that).  
> \- Floor Two is really like that. Outside of the cities, it looks like a western, while the cities themselves are more Medieval European-like.  
> \- Poor Kirito discovers that his Lady does not have the same resistance to capsaicin (even virtual capsaicin) as he does. A lesson to learn, though...  
> \- Also, Asuna has hypnotic powers that Kirito is weak against! Sure, he has high willpower... but how long can he last under the assault of those pretty hazel eyes? ;)  
> \- Finally, the chapter's shout out is too obvious.


End file.
